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Port of Felixstowe Operational Update

The Port of Felixstowe, like other major container ports worldwide, is still experiencing?high container volumes and dealing with the consequences of the ongoing Covid pandemic.?The current high volumes?are expected to last?well into the first quarter?and we are working hard to minimise the impact on daily operations and to maintain vital supply chains. The latest update on the current situation is as follows:

• The port is fully operational.?Over the Christmas period?we handled?103,732 TEU across the quay,?18,369 TEU to/from rail, and?36,450 containers to/from road vehicles


• 95% of import containers are available for collection within 10 minutes of discharge from the vessel


• We are increasing resource, 140 new employees including 104 additional equipment drivers?and 12 of engineers?are being recruited and trained, although the latest lockdown makes this challenging to do safely.?


• We have been working with the Government's principle forwarder to remove PPE containers as quickly as possible. Excess volumes have?now been removed and are no longer an issue.


• Onsite private Covid testing continues and is being upgraded to provide rapid testing for the benefit of employees and household members but which also maximises labour availability


• Both container terminals are now open on Sundays for road collections/deliveries. Shipside operations remain 24/7


• Each shipping line has an agreed empty storage capacity. The receipt of empty containers is managed on a line-by-line basis. If a line exceeds its empty storage capacity, receipt of empty containers for that line are temporarily suspended until sufficient empties are removed. Empty containers are currently being received for?all customers


• Over the Christmas period, there were 4,563 VBS slots available every weekday


• Over the Christmas period,?a total of?34,704 VBS bookings were available of which?11,322 went unused (5,739 at Trinity,?5,583 at Berths 8&9). More information is available here.


• There are fewer VBS bookings 06:00-07:00 and 18:00-19:00 in order to clean machinery at shift changeover. The protection of our employees and port users remains our No.1 priority


• Over the Christmas period, the average turnaround times for hauliers were 46.55 minutes at Trinity Terminal and?33.56 minutes at Berths 8&9.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding

05?January 2021