First ships from Suez Canal arrive at Felixstowe

Following a quieter than usual Easter break, ships from Asia are now beginning to arrive at the port in increasing numbers. As reported in last week’s Logistics Magazine, it has been estimated that deliveries worth billions of pounds have been delayed during the six-day blockage, leading to severe shortages in seasonal stock for UK retailers.

Even before the incident in the Suez Canal, Logistics UK members had been reporting delays on deep sea container routes. More than four out of five respondents (82%) to Logistics UK’s tenth Logistics Performance Tracker revealed that there were more delays on deep sea container routes compared to the same time last year. In March, the liner shipping industry was experiencing changes to routes and delays and disruption worldwide. Liner vessels, primarily in the form of container ships and roll-on/roll-off ships, carry about 60% by value of the goods moved internationally by sea each year, according to the World Shipping Council.

“There is no doubt that we will feel the delays caused by the incident on the Suez Canal for a number of weeks,” said Zoe McLernon, Logistics UK’s Multimodal Manager, “As stuck ships begin to arrive, it may become particularly busy at container ship ports in the UK. Ports are in contact with shipping lines regarding rescheduling but we must continue to monitor the situation closely to manage any disruption as efficiently as possible.”

*www.logistics.org.uk/sea

Published On: 08/04/2021 17:00:12

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