Associated British Ports (ABP) has invested GB£300,000 in a new rail service at a major UK port to help green its operations further.
The rail service at the Port of Southampton is the first automotive service to operate in the Western Docks. Working together with customers DB Cargo UK, who run the train service, and Southampton Cargo Handling (SCH) who discharge the vehicles, ABP will now move around 600 to 800 new BMW Minis each week by rail.
Alastair Welch, ABP regional director, Southampton, said: “We are delighted to have welcomed this new automotive service to the Western Docks for BMW. As the UK’s number one export port for vehicles, we look forward to continuing to expand Southampton’s automotive offer by rail even further in the future.”
In addition to strengthening ABP’s automotive offering at Southampton, the service offers a greener and safer delivery, keeping lorries off the road. ABP already offers a rail service at the Eastern Docks.
DB Cargo UK’s head of sales, Roger Neary, said: “Utilising our fleet of specialised wagons, we currently operate finished vehicle rail movements throughout the UK, as well as international services for automotive components. We are delighted to be working with ABP and BMW to establish this new service into Southampton, the UK’s premier port for the automotive market.”
Southampton is the UK’s number one port for automotive, handling around 900,000 vehicles a year.
