A.P. Moller – Maersk has responded to Brexit and COVID-19 pressure with a new rail service from Felixstowe to Newell & Wright in Tinsley, UK.
The global integrator of container logistics reached an agreement with the UK’s third largest rail operator GB Railfreight to operate the service all working days of the week.
Jeremy Haycock, managing director for UK & Ireland at Maersk, said: “As any major container gateway in the world, Felixstowe has been under pressure due to the various disruptions affecting the supply chain such as Brexit, COVID-19 and the recent vessel blockage at the Suez Canal.
“By signing this agreement, we will be able to offer more reliable and flexible end-to-end services to both local as well as global importers and exporters.”
The Port of Felixstowe is Britain’s biggest and busiest container port and one of the largest in Europe.
Approximately 50% of traffic between Felixstowe and the North of England moves by rail.
“Expanding our rail footprint from Felixstowe is key for us to increase supply chain flexibility for our customers through the current challenging times and help them addressing their individual specific logistics needs as the business condition and pandemic continue to evolve,” Haycock added. “We want to help bringing capacity and reliability to this critical supply chain link.”
The new service will incorporate new eco-fret wagons from the German company VTG Aktiengesellschaft, state-of-art containers which maximise the number of 20- and 40-ft containers which can be carried on a train.
John Smith, managing director at GB Railfreight, said: “I am delighted we have agreed to this contract with Maersk. We are a growing organisation, always looking for the next opportunity and working with Maersk was an absolute no-brainer.”
