DP World is expanding its rail capacity between two of the UK’s largest container ports with the introduction of a second weekly rail service connecting London Gateway and Southampton.
This expansion aims to strengthen the UK’s supply chain resilience while significantly reducing carbon emissions by cutting over one million truck miles annually.
“Launching a second rail service between London Gateway and Southampton is the next logical step for DP World, given the clear benefits for our customers,” commented John Trenchard, vice president – Commercial & Supply Chain, DP World in the UK.
“Providing a cleaner and more cost-efficient way to move cargo across the country is a key priority for DP World in the UK, and modal shift has consistently proven to be a reliable and flexible solution.”
Operated by Freightliner, the new mid-week service launches on 1 October and complements the existing weekend service which began in 2022. It offers customers increased access to storage, handling, freight forwarding and delivery services at London Gateway Logistics Park, the UK’s largest port-adjacent logistics park with 9.25 million sqft of floor space.
“Freightliner are delighted to continue supporting DP World with their second weekly port train service, working in partnership to develop further modal shift between Southampton and London Gateway,” said Chris Lawrenson, managing director – Intermodal Logistics, Freightliner Group.
“Our fleet of rolling stock and carbon efficient trains provide customers with lower carbon options for their international container movements.”
Customers using the new service can also take advantage of DP World’s Modal Shift Programme, which offers financial incentives to move containers by rail. This initiative has already increased the rail freight share at Southampton from 21% to over 30%.
