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Felixstowe is a record breaker

The Port of Felixstowe, owned by the Hong Kong-based Hutchison group, has set a new rail record, handling a total of 11,019 containers (16,846 TEUs) in a single week. The previous record of 10,893 units was achieved in May 2011. The increased volumes follow a number of track and equipment improvements made over the past three years, including a 39m extension of the South Rail Terminal to accommodate 22 wagon trains, a major line refurbishment of the same terminal in 2008/9, and two state-of-the-art rail-mounted gantry cranes in 2010.

The port currently operates two open-access, common-user rail terminals and in 2012 will construct an all-new third rail terminal. Co-financed by the European Union from the Trans-European network budget, the new terminal will double rail capacity at the port. It will also be another first for the Port of Felixstowe – the first terminal in the UK designed and built to accommodate longer, 30-wagon, trains.

Rail freight services at Felixstowe are offered by Freightliner, GB Railfreight and DB Schenker. Daily connections are available to and from Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Cleveland, Birmingham, Doncaster, Tilbury, Selby, Hams Hall, Wakefield, Ditton (Widnes), Birch Coppice, Scunthorpe and Bristol.