Felixstowe stable but backlog remains

Landguard is gradually returning to normal said the port, while quayside productivity continues to recover with corresponding improvement in container throughput, although the pace of progress is “slower than we would have liked,” said the port.

“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,” the port reported.

Better performance

Rail misses are still a concern for the port, but rail performance, alongside road haulier performance, is more stable.

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, explained the port.

It added that upgrades are also increasing the efficiency of the container yard, which delivers wider benefits.

The first block of the Berth 9 Yard development was delivered on 20 August, providing an additional 1,800 teu of storage space which is expected to help improve yard performance. A further 16,200 teu of storage capacity will be introduced between now and early 2019.

Hutchison Ports-owned Port of Felixstowe first began experiencing productivity problems in June, after it implemented a new terminal operating system (TOS).