Rail operations are viewed as having a key role in the future at the Port of Felixstowe, providing an intrinsic part of the Container Division’s customer service activities, creating critically needed, environmentally friendly logistical links to the core UK industrial hinterland markets.

Rail services are provided to the Shipping Lines and other port users, offering the most comprehensive inland rail destination portfolio of any UK port.

The Port of Felixstowe owns and operates two Intermodal Rail Terminals, one adjacent to Trinity (North Terminal) and the other at Landguard (South Terminal). Both Rail Terminals are multi-user facilities, with open access to Train Operating Companies. Combined capacity at these facilities exceeds 750,000 TEU (Twenty Foot Equivalent) per annum.

Container volumes transported by rail have increased significantly in recent years. Since 1997 Rail has increased its market share as a credible alternative to Road haulage. Rail volume has grown by more than 7% per annum. The Port has again seen record-breaking throughputs during 2010, handling just under 11,000 containers in a single week. Rail volumes currently represent approx 27% of the Port’s UK domestic throughput and continues to grow. There are currently 56 services to and from the Port each day operated by Freightliner Ltd, GB Railfreight Ltd and DB Schenker Ltd. These trains link Felixstowe with the major markets of the UK, providing direct connections to Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Cleveland, Birmingham, Doncaster, Tilbury, Selby, Hams Hall, Wakefield and Ditton (Widnes) Birch Coppice and most recently Scunthorpe and Bristol. There are indirect connections with a broad range of customers’ depots through onward transportation from these inland terminals.

Both the North and South Terminals operate on a two-shift/24-hour basis, from 07:00 hrs on Monday to 19:00 hrs on Saturday. The Terminals can also be operated in between these scheduled times, based upon demand and operational needs.

To support these operations, rail has a wide range of equipment, including 6 rail-mounted gantry cranes, 4 reach stackers and access to two shunting locomotives, complemented by around 50 internal movement vehicles per operational shift.

The Port owns and maintains approximately six miles of rail track, incorporating sidings, cross-port track and a Branch Line linking the North Terminal to neighbouring Trimley.

The Port is committed to further increase the share of freight being transported by rail, and has made significant investments in recent years to achieve this aim. In the last three years more than £5m has been invested in replacing two South Rail-Mounted Gantry Cranes (RMG’s) and extending the South Rail Terminal roads from 20 to 22 wagons capacity. In addition to this the Port continues to pursue ways which it can offer its customers additional services from Felixstowe whilst at the same time continuing to develop systems and operational practices to improve the overall customer experience from the UK’s largest container Port, Felixstowe.

As well as general improvements the Port has developed a close working relationship with the Network Rail route management team to provide improved service integrity and productivity. Work is also underway to provide improved system management dedicated to deliver state-of-the-art control and monitoring at the Port’s rail terminals and container parks. A third Rail Terminal is planned to coincide with developments running in parallel outside the port. The dualling of a 4½ mile stretch of the existing single-track Branch Line between Trimley Station and a point west of Levington Bridge will make important train access improvements, allowing up to 40 freight trains per day to run in each direction by the year 2020. Rail logistic solutions remove more than 446,000 lorry movements from the country’s busy road network each year which obviously helps reduce the demand on the UK’s road infrastructure and at the same time reduces carbon emissions.