Port of Felixstowe extends rail advantage
Rail services from the Port of Felixstowe have been boosted with the start of the latest new service from the UK’s largest container port, the port's press release said.
The new service, operated by Freightliner Limited, is the port’s 30th daily rail service, and runs to Doncaster in South Yorkshire.
Commenting on the start of the new service, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, owners of the Port of Felixstowe, said:
“As the best connected port in Britain we already provide a bigger choice of rail options than are available at any other UK port; helping our customers save time, money and carbon. The latest service from Freightliner brings to 60 the number of freight train movements we handle each day and will take around 1.75 million HGV miles each year off the strategic road network.”
This new service comes quickly on the heels of Hutchison Ports’ investment in a third rail terminal at the port. The new terminal opened in June 2013 and will double rail capacity at Felixstowe.
Speaking about the new service, Adam Cunliffe, Managing Director of Freightliner Limited, said:
“The additional service to Doncaster from the Port of Felixstowe is in response to the continued demand for quality rail services from our customers. The service represents a further switch of volume from road utilising a new state of the art Powerhaul locomotive, allowing full use of the New North Rail Terminal's capacity for 30 plus wagon services. The service will be supported by Freightliner's own road fleet for final collection and delivery to and from Freightliner's Doncaster terminal. The unique ability of Freightliner to offer a complete logistics solution alongside the exciting New North developments at the Port of Felixstowe have provided the basis for further rail served growth which otherwise would not have been possible.”
Rail services at Felixstowe were given a further lift last week with the news that the European Commission has earmarked €1.7 million from its Trans-European Network budget towards the cost of three new Rail-Mounted Gantry cranes at the port’s new North Rail Terminal.