When importing cargo to the UK via sea freight, the possibility that the goods will come through the port of Felixstowe is extremely high. The UK’s biggest major port handles 4million TEU’s every year, and now Port owner Hutchinson Ports UK have spoken on their desire to increase the scale of the port even further.
The chief executive of Hutchinson Ports UK, Clemence Cheng expects that the extension of the quay by 190m towards the North Sea will be completed by next year. The company now have their sight set on building 13 hectares (33 acres) of warehousing space with in the port boundary, next to berths 8 and 9.
The planned new site which is less than 500m from the trinity terminal and less than 100m away from Berths 8 and 9 will help to facilitate the unloading and storage of containers from some of the world’s largest container ships.
The port owners claim that the proposed new ‘Logistics Park’ will be revolutionary, and those using its facilities for both UK and European distribution will benefit from the unrivalled road, rail and short sea carriage now available.
There are also claims being made that Ipswich county council have purchased a site, formally the British Sugar premises with a view to turning it in to a distribution park. The site is 130 acres in size and is said to have been purchased for several million pounds after being vacant since 2001. An exchange of contracts is said to be imminent. With all of this work in progress the future is bright for the Logistics industry.
With super-sized 17,000 TEU vessels roaming the ports, and proposed 18-24,000 TEU vessels in the pipeline, it is essential that the UK’s largest and busiest ports make changes. If they don’t start the process of accomodating for them effectively, the UK’s import and export industry will fail to reap the benefits.