Felixstowe Port in 'chaos' as Christmas and Brexit loom

[dmncf]

Interesting article from BBC News. I wonder how freight train operators are being affected. Because the port can't accommodate the flow of lorries needed to clear its backlog of containers, is the port encouraging freight operators to increase the flow of trains to clear the backlog? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54908129

Some shipping and haulage companies have complained of "chaos" at Felixstowe Port in Suffolk, affecting goods in the run up to Christmas.

One ship due to be unloaded at the port last week was redirected to Rotterdam because of "unacceptable" delays.
...
Freight companies say containers are being left on the quay while lorry drivers wait for access to the port.

 

[Grumpy Git]

Brexit, the gift that keeps on giving..........................................

And the protagonist in chief has just exited stage right.

 

[306024]

10 days to await a berth is clearly unacceptable as Evergreen say. But how much worse could it have been without some expert advice - from the same article:

Two months ago, the former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling was hired to advise the port's parent company Hutchison Ports Europe, which is based in London. The register of MP's financial interests shows he's being paid £100,000 for "around seven hours" of work per week.

The Department for Transport says it's aware of the issues at Felixstowe Port and, while it stressed this is a commercial matter for industry to resolve, it said it would continue to monitor the situation for any impact on wider supply chains.

 

[CW2]

Indeed, Mr Grayling has such a strong reputation for sorting out transport problems that I'm sure he's worth every penny.
[Oh, I think my sarcasm filter must have slipped.]

 

[brad465]

Are any of the many lorry parks being built near Felixstowe? Being in Kent I know of the Ashford and Ebbsfleet ones linked to Dover traffic, but know they'll be others near all other major ports around the country.

 

[TheEdge]

There is currently a growing stack of containers (apparently full of PPE) appearing on some old wasteland next to Melton station.

 

[Ianno87]

Interesting article from BBC News. I wonder how freight train operators are being affected. Because the port can't accommodate the flow of lorries needed to clear its backlog of containers, is the port encouraging freight operators to increase the flow of trains to clear the backlog? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-54908129

I understand rail is affected by the issue too.

 

[GB]

There is currently a growing stack of containers (apparently full of PPE) appearing on some old wasteland next to Melton station.

There is. Freightliner and GBRailfreight are currently operating a special Saturday service to Tilbury to shift them. Where they go from there I have no idea.

 

[farci]

Are any of the many lorry parks being built near Felixstowe? Being in Kent I know of the Ashford and Ebbsfleet ones linked to Dover traffic, but know they'll be others near all other major ports around the country.

Here is a list of planned lorry parks
Information in Daily Mirror
Nearest to Felixstowe is at North Weald airport in Essex - but no planning consent obtained yet!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

One gathers with the flux of global shipping traffic this year - ports have been struggling - especially with a surplus of empty containers to hand.

I speak of personal experience many years ago as a young Freightliner operating manager at Felixstowe , where the volume of traffic was sometimes immense in the period September to December - except then - pre Walton Rail terminal , it was often a struggle to accommodate rail wagons , especially empty flats - such that we used to stash wagons in Harwich , Ipswich Loco , Stowmarket , and run "clearance" specials to Stratford and Willesden.

 

[Bald Rick]

Felixstowe has been struggling on and off for most of the year. In the early part of lockdown container rates went negative*, because China’s ports were logjammed, and there was nowhere to send the empty boxes. I’m told by my container industry friends that this has rippled through in waves over time, and this is an ‘aftershock’ combined with the pre Christmas rush.

*In that container firms would pay you to take a container off their hands.

 

[alex397]

Is this still considered ‘scaremongering’ now? Or are people actually going to accept the disruption Brexit is going to cause?

Of course, many of the issues highlighted in the article are unrelated to Brexit, but it’s certainly not going to help Felixstowe get back on track if things are further delayed.

 

[big_rig]

A bulky item I ordered a few weeks ago has had its delivery pushed back a month, with the store citing port congestion - I wonder if this is related!

Mr Grayling also seems to be doing very well for his seven hours or so a week commitment for £100,000 - nice work if you can get it!

 

[Typhoon]

Here is a list of planned lorry parks
Information in Daily Mirror
Nearest to Felixstowe is at North Weald airport in Essex - but no planning consent obtained yet!

The best I could find is

The plans are due to be considered by Secretary of State for housing, communities and local government Robert Jenrick MP.

which means it will be rubber stamped (if it hasn't been already[/quote] (from https://www.eppingforestguardian.co...eald-lorry-park-help-dover-brexit-congestion/. The story does suggest that the North Weald site was to relieve pressure on Dover, not Felixstowe. At least that site will have hard standing so not suffer the development pains of Sevington (Ashford) where the heavy rains of a week ago put a stop to construction work. The contractors have now applied for, and received permission for seven day working when construction resumes, that will doubtless please residents. The other Ashford site, right next to Sevington, is named Waterbrook Park so it may be that North Weald will be needed to assist in taking Dover-bound lorries should we not get six weeks of sun.

 

[65477]

Are any of the many lorry parks being built near Felixstowe?

As pointed out the new lorry parks are for Dover traffic. Currently I think the only lorry parks on the a14 are at the Orwell Crossing and Bury St Edmunds. There is a proposal for a new park at Levington. As this shows

Lorry park next to A14 could create traffic danger, claim villagers

Villagers have branded plans for a large new lorry park close to the A14 as “inappropriate, detrimental and dangerous”.

www.ipswichstar.co.uk

it does seem to be used as a stacking area.

 

[AngusH]

It seems like Felixstowe has been having problems since about 2018 due to various management issues,
including a new computer system (Vehicle Booking System - VBS) for managing freight lorries entering the port (widely criticised) and a shortage of staff.
(Plus Covid19 of course)

Brexit will have affected volumes which may have exacerbated the problem,
but it seems like there are major issues that would have caused problems anyway.

The haulers appear to be very angry:

'The shambles that is Felixstowe port is costing everyone time and money' - The Loadstar

The UK’s biggest container port at Felixstowe (POF) is buckling under the strain of a “sharp spike in import volumes”, triggering hauliers and forwarders to criticise the management’s “contemptuous attitude” towards them. “It is a complete s**t show and, if we as hauliers treated our customers...

theloadstar.com

A rail related note:
(from sept 2020)

Felixstowe told forwarders that from yesterday to 7pm on Tuesday, it will not accept export empty containers at the port via rail. Rail providers can only take full containers on the train services from the port; empties must be left inland or diverted to other ports.

Freight forwarders facing the perfect storm of issues at the port of Felixstowe

Freight forwarders that are now unable to restitute empty containers to the port of Felixstowe until September 23rd say it is yet another example of appalling service from a port that describes itself as ‘The Port of Britain’.

www.bifa.org

Post | FreshtalkDaily News

www.fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk

Lack of VBS Slots at the Port of Felixstowe causing hell for hauliers

Since March, when the COVID-19 lockdown came into force, the Vehicle Booking System (VBS) used by hauliers for the Port of Felixstowe had reduced slots to coincide with the workload and reduced staff at the port.

www.bifa.org

 

[hst43102]

I can't help thinking, after reading these articles, that the UK is putting all its eggs in one basket by having such a small number of ports. Almost all deep sea container traffic comes into Felixstowe, Southampton and Liverpool. Surely it would be better to have a larger number of smaller ports, closer to the destinations? I'm thinking Plymouth, Boston, Immingham, Hull, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and North Shields.

 

[Bald Rick]

I can't help thinking, after reading these articles, that the UK is putting all its eggs in one basket by having such a small number of ports. Almost all deep sea container traffic comes into Felixstowe, Southampton and Liverpool. Surely it would be better to have a larger number of smaller ports, closer to the destinations? I'm thinking Plymouth, Boston, Immingham, Hull, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and North Shields.

A lot comes into Gateway too, and Tees, Avonmouth see a fair bit.

But it comes down to economies of scale. Particularly important for getting the boxes away by rail, but also for the ships.

 

[hst43102]

A lot comes into Gateway too, and Tees, Avonmouth see a fair bit.

But it comes down to economies of scale. Particularly important for getting the boxes away by rail, but also for the ships.

What I was trying to say is the fact that the Evergreen ship had to dock at Rotterdam rather than Felixstowe implies that we could use more ports for diversions in the UK?

 

[GB]

Perhaps its time some real thought and traction was made on recommissioning the port at Harwich just across the water. While the road network there is not great is has some very good rail potential.

 

[306024]

Perhaps its time some real thought and traction was made on recommissioning the port at Harwich just across the water. While the road network there is not great is has some very good rail potential.

Container ships have grown considerably since Parkeston container terminal closed, both in draught and width. It needs a big crane to reach containers on the far side of the ship. Bathside bay is the scheme at Harwich, but remains on the drawing board.

 

[Bald Rick]

Some of the Evergreen ships are notoriously large. And only Feloxstowe, Gateway and Southampton can handle them. I suspect it was due to call at Rotterdam and rather than being ‘diverted’ there it just went straight there instead. Much more effective than steaming back to London Gateway and paying a no doubt extortionate berth fee for a late arrival.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

I can't help thinking, after reading these articles, that the UK is putting all its eggs in one basket by having such a small number of ports. Almost all deep sea container traffic comes into Felixstowe, Southampton and Liverpool. Surely it would be better to have a larger number of smaller ports, closer to the destinations? I'm thinking Plymouth, Boston, Immingham, Hull, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and North Shields.

Felixstowe handles 48% of UK containerised traffic, Southampton takes second place. There was an interesting and very informative discussion on the operations and economics of container traffic generally, and to Liverpool specifically, a while ago - when the branch to the docks from Edge Hill was upgraded.

As I recall, and in a much summarised form, you will only get one call in the UK for the big ships. Their next/previous port of call is 'Europe' so Southampton and Felixstowe are well placed, as are Thames Gateway, Tilbury and Thamesport.

As @Bald Rick comments, the next port of call was Rotterdam anyway (also Hutchison owned) and the boxes were shuttled back to London. By not calling at Felixstowe the ship will have arrived early in Rotterdam. Hopefully they had a berth available ahead of time.

Offloading and shuttling by smaller vessels to smaller ports is quite common.

UK Major Ports Group lists the following members and their ports:

ABP (Associated British Ports)

• Ayr
• Barrow-in-Furness
• Barry Docks
• Cardiff Docks
• Fleetwood
• Garston
• Goole
• Grimsby
• Kingston upon Hull
• Immingham
• Ipswich
• King's Lynn
• Lowestoft
• Newport
• Plymouth
• Port Talbot
• Silloth
• Southampton (a)
• Swansea
• Teignmouth
• Troon

Belfast Harbour Commissioners

• Belfast

Bristol Port Company

• Avonmouth
• Bristol

DP World

• London Gateway
• Southampton (b)

Forth Ports

• Burntisland
• Dundee
• Grangemouth Port
• Leith Harbour
• Methil
• Rosyth Dockyard
• Tilbury

Hutchison

• Felixstowe
• Harwich International
• Thamesport (Isle of Grain)

PD Ports

• Hartlepool
• Tees

Peel Ports

• Birkenhead
• Glasgow
• Great Yarmouth
• Heysham
• Liverpool
• Manchester
• Medway (Sheerness)

There are some major omissions from that list (ie non members) such as a little harbour closest to the continent in Kent.

Not all of the above can handle containers.


all ports uk provides a lit of around 1,000 ports from the very smallest upwards.

 

[Bald Rick]

It’s a perfect storm really:

Christmas rush
Retailers stocking up to mitigate potential post Brexit meltdown
Container market the busiest it has ever been (apparently every box available is booked up for months)
Aftershock of the spring shutdown of Chinese industry

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Indeed, Mr Grayling has such a strong reputation for sorting out transport problems that I'm sure he's worth every penny.
[Oh, I think my sarcasm filter must have slipped.]

You can’t make this stuff up. Real life is stranger than fiction.

 

[66701GBRF]

<Snip> is the port encouraging freight operators to increase the flow of trains to clear the backlog?

Quite the opposite. There was some resistant to bring back trains that were parked up due to the pandemic...though I think most are now back they are still only allowing trains to be filled up to 80-90% of available capacity.

 

[talltim]

Quite the opposite. There was some resistant to bring back trains that were parked up due to the pandemic...though I think most are now back they are still only allowing trains to be filled up to 80-90% of available capacity.

Surely containers don't need to social distance?

 

[GB]

Surely containers don't need to social distance?

??

 

[talltim]

Why are they only part filling the trains? Surely if they are suffering from too many containers, getting them out as quickly as possibly by filling the trains would be best?

 

[Bald Rick]

Why are they only part filling the trains? Surely if they are suffering from too many containers, getting them out as quickly as possibly by filling the trains would be best?

Presumably it’s the ‘export’ trains that are being limited.