sailorman
Well-Known Member
So whats gone wrong at Felixstowe & Soton
Why no mention in the media
The UK’s two biggest container ports appear to have hit crisis level.
UK retailers potentially face weeks of delays in getting their Christmas stock onto the shelves in time for the peak consumer spending rush.
Moreover, UK exporters to Asia can virtually forget about getting containers shipped in November, due to carriers blanking a huge 11 eastbound voyages next month.
And many of those sailings that survive will be ‘cut & run’, without loading, due to the congestion at Felixstowe and Southampton.
The traditional peak season influx of holiday goods often stretches container terminals to their limits, but this year the supply chain is at breaking point – despite one source’s assertion that overall numbers are actually down this year.
The congestion problems that began at Felixstowe now appear to have spread to Southampton – partly due to the south coast port’s decision to accept extra business diverted from the Suffolk port.
Moreover, it is said, the UK’s acute haulage shortage and the indiscipline of the carriers in their schedule integrity and container control have put “impossible pressure” on the Southampton terminal.
One local port source told The Loadstar today that “hardly any” ships were arriving in their berthing windows, and when they do get alongside, a large amount of time is consumed in transhipping containers, information often not advised to the planners until just before arrival.
“The carriers just seem to have given up,” said the source. “I know there have been bad weather delays, but they have no interest in trying to regain schedules, plus they are taking last-minute decisions on what is to come off and what is to be loaded.”
And as landside and ship working productivity at Southampton has deteriorated, operator DP World has been obliged to issue several ‘terminal alert’ messages to customers.
One large forwarder customer who visited Southampton yesterday told The Loadstar this morning the situation was “absolute carnage”.
https://gcaptain.com/felixstowe-box-congestion-spreads-to-southampton/
Why no mention in the media
The UK’s two biggest container ports appear to have hit crisis level.
UK retailers potentially face weeks of delays in getting their Christmas stock onto the shelves in time for the peak consumer spending rush.
Moreover, UK exporters to Asia can virtually forget about getting containers shipped in November, due to carriers blanking a huge 11 eastbound voyages next month.
And many of those sailings that survive will be ‘cut & run’, without loading, due to the congestion at Felixstowe and Southampton.
The traditional peak season influx of holiday goods often stretches container terminals to their limits, but this year the supply chain is at breaking point – despite one source’s assertion that overall numbers are actually down this year.
The congestion problems that began at Felixstowe now appear to have spread to Southampton – partly due to the south coast port’s decision to accept extra business diverted from the Suffolk port.
Moreover, it is said, the UK’s acute haulage shortage and the indiscipline of the carriers in their schedule integrity and container control have put “impossible pressure” on the Southampton terminal.
One local port source told The Loadstar today that “hardly any” ships were arriving in their berthing windows, and when they do get alongside, a large amount of time is consumed in transhipping containers, information often not advised to the planners until just before arrival.
“The carriers just seem to have given up,” said the source. “I know there have been bad weather delays, but they have no interest in trying to regain schedules, plus they are taking last-minute decisions on what is to come off and what is to be loaded.”
And as landside and ship working productivity at Southampton has deteriorated, operator DP World has been obliged to issue several ‘terminal alert’ messages to customers.
One large forwarder customer who visited Southampton yesterday told The Loadstar this morning the situation was “absolute carnage”.
https://gcaptain.com/felixstowe-box-congestion-spreads-to-southampton/
