Operators move from Felixstowe
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by Karen Miles and David Craik • Costly quayside delays at Felixstowe are causing hauliers to pull out of the port.
A number of operators are attempting to diversify their business away from Europe's fourth largest container port after suffering months of delays, which they say average around two hours for each vehicle.
One operator, which has been working 18 of its lorries from Felixstowe, says it has just withdrawn two of its vehicles and has transferred them to work from Tilbury port. "We will be continuing to monitor the situation," says the company owner.
Another six-vehicle operator says frustration with delays at Felixstowe has driven it to pull one of its vehicles out of the port. The vehicle has been put onto general haulage work.
Douglas Burr, a director of Felixstowe port, says: "The delays are caused by a combination of a growth in trade and heavy demand. It is difficult to cater for. However, we have just completed a £5m-worth of investment in rubber tyre gantries.
"They are erected, we just need to commission the electrics on them and they will be operational by the end of May. We are hopeful that these will improve service levels."
Both hauliers estimate loading and unloading delays at Felixstowe mean they are losing time and money equivalent to one day's work a week.
One of them says waiting four hours is common and blames Felixstowe management for increasing the port's ship capacity without increasing its provision for hauliers.
The complaints follow earlier allegations from drivers that hold ups are forcing operators to run illegally (CM10-16 April).