Danish shipping giant Maersk diverting shipping away from Felixstowe ports due to congestion

Danish shipping giant Maersk will be diverting there vessels away from Felixstowe port as the goods from Asia and far east is clogging up the ports. Maersk said it will be sending vessels from the Indian port of chennai away from suffolk ports as its become gridlocked with influx of christmas stock. The feeder containers that goes to the Continent to come to the UK does not have room in there ports no more and its causing delays there, the containers that is bound for the uk ports from the Continent is now being diverted to the European ports to Rotterdam, antwerp or hamburg. Due to Felixstowe being jammed up with containers Maersk will be sending there triple E container vessels that can carry 18k containers to London gateway on the thames a relatively new deep water container port to protect the operational integrity of the container service.

One Felixstowe based freight operator has said the continental ports are getting so clogged up and there is no slack in the system in the feeder system and even if you can get space for a container on a ship to the UK you can be waiting for days. The road haulage association have stated that its not getting any better for haulage despite upping salaries and sign on payments have increased. This not just an issue in uk ports as this is happening world wide.

Suffolk port last week closed its gates to receive empty containers to go out to shipping lanes, instead they have to drive empty containers hundreds of miles to Liverpool and Immingham near Hull because of the lack of space in southern ports.

Written by Wayne callaghan