London Medway reports substantial increase in trade
London Medway, part of
the Peel Ports Group, has reported a substantial increase in trade on its
unaccompanied freight service between the UK and France in recent weeks
amid ongoing Dover delays
The cross-channel service,
which is run by DFDS, has witnessed a 34 per cent increase in units in
the last fortnight as congestion issues continue to plague South East ports.
The rise in demand
for the service, between Sheerness and Calais, has seen individual vessels
recently carrying more than 200 units and the route has proven extremely
popular as a much-needed solution to ongoing delays.
The route also experienced
a 30 per cent increase in unit volumes between April and June this year
compared to the last six months of 2021, during a time when Dover again
faced issues with P&O.
The volume increases
on the service, which launched in June 2021, have exceeded market expectations
and support Peel Ports’ long-term future in delivering a viable and sustainable
alternative route for the UK’s supply chain.
Richard Goffin, Port
Director at London Medway, said: “Peel Ports has argued for many years
that the solution to the South East congestion is simple. Rather than travel
as accompanied freight, cargo that is non-perishable can move on unaccompanied
services through more reliable routes such as London Medway.
“Although the sea-leg
is longer, routing via regional ports such as London Medway is just as
efficient as the existing options through the Dover Straits, as road miles
are reduced. These journeys also allow for clearance checks to be completed
without the pressure of a 90-minute crossing increasing throughput and
capacity.
“We’ve become dangerously
reliant on Dover and the Channel Tunnel, with 75 per cent of the trailer
freight market between north-west Europe and Britain passing through this
pinch point. The solution provided by DFDS and London Medway evidently
works and it’s fantastic to see such a strong increase in trade, demonstrating
the willingness of our supply chain to consider alternative route options
that increase efficiency.”
Unaccompanied freight,
which sees trailers and containers shipped without a driver, is seen by
some in the industry as a major way of overcoming challenges with customs
delays, driver shortages and storage.
