Maersk diverts vessels from UK ports amid containers backlog
Shipping giant Maersk has said it is diverting vessels away from UK ports because of a build-up of cargo.
It has reportedly started rerouting its container ships away from Felixstowe, the UK'S largest commercial port, to unload elsewhere in Europe before using smaller vessels to finally get deliveries to the UK.
The UK'S port industry has also warned that some ports are managing access to storage space with" short-term restrictions"in a bid to ease congestion issues.
Lars Mikael Jensen, head of global ocean network at Maersk, said the HGVd river shortagehas slowed down the time it takes for containers to be emptied and picked up.
"We had to stop operations on a ship because there was nowhere to discharge the containers," he said.
"Felixstowe is among the top two or three worst-hit terminals. We are having to deviate some of the bigger ships away from felixstowe and relay some of the smaller ships for the cargo. We did it for a little while over the summer and now we' re starting to do it again."
The backlog at Felixstowe, which deals with 36 per cent of UK freight container volumes, will add to concerns over how UK industry will cope with the key Christmas period.
Mr Jensen also warned that this may mean retailers are forced to prioritise what they ship to deal with the congestion.
A spokesman for the port said: "In common with other major ports in theuk and beyond, the Port of Felixstowe is experiencingimpact soft he global supply chain crisis. the vast majority of import containers are cleared for collection within minutes of arriving and there are over 1000 unused haulier bookings most days.
"The situation is improving and there is more spare space for import containers this week than at anytime since the beginning of July when supply chain impacts first started to bite.
"Empty container levels remain high as import containers are returned and we are asking shipping line store move them as quickly as possible."
Tim Morris, chief executive officer of the UK Major Ports Group, said that trade ports had become "the jam in the sandwich between surging, volatile shipping and UK supply chains badly impacted by factors such as HGV driver shortages".
He said :" Ports have taken significant action to respond to the challenges and build resilience.
"They have extended gate opening to 24/7, increased capacity for trucks at peak hours, sought to maximise rail freight usage within the significant constraints of the network, created additional storage space and recruited more people.
"But the pressures are being exacerbated by well-publicised issues impacting all UK supply chains, notably shortages of HGV drivers.
"Ports therefore have to manageaccess to storage space very dynamically in extremesituations. this can mean some very limited short-term restrictions.
"Ports are committed to working closely with customers and entire supply chains to keep goods moving."
And on a visit to an hgv training centre near Oldham in Greater Manchester, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the shortage was "absolutely foreseeable".