Throughput improving at Felixstowe, says port authority

Felixstowe says container throughput is improving following the problems with the introduction of its new terminal operating system and it is starting to welcome back some of the services that diverted temporarily to other ports.

However, last week OOCL moved its North Europe-Turkey service to Southampton saying: “We now reach a point where we can no longer tolerate these delays, which are not only impacting the supply chain of our UK customer base but also those connecting at other ports in the service rotation.”

In a statement on progress with the new system last week, the port said: “Quayside productivity continues to recover with corresponding improvement in container throughput, although the pace of progress is slower than we would have liked.

“The first of the services that diverted temporarily to other ports, the jointly-operated Seago, Hamburg Sud and CMA CGM Levant service, returned to Felixstowe on 23rd August, and we are discussing with our shipping line customers welcoming back more services in the coming weeks.

“Rail and road haulier performance are more stable. However, we are still working hard to minimise the number of rail misses.

“The recent upgrades to the operating system have enhanced stacking logic, rail shuffles, the handling of vehicles through the Temporary Holding Area and the flexible loading of empty containers to vessels. They also increase the efficiency of the container yard which delivers wider benefits. There will be further upgrades in the coming weeks.”