The current economic climate and its impact within the supply chain has reiterated the importance for the Port of Felixstowe to remain at the forefront of new methods of satisfying the changing distribution needs of importers, manufacturers and retailers across the UK.

Felixstowe has led the way in the creation of a new breed of services designed at leveraging its extensive Port assets for the benefit of the shipper and cargo owner. Simply entitled ‘Port-centric Logistics’ it was not envisaged that this innovation would become the industry standard it is today, challenging much of the conventional wisdom of inland cargo movement and creating a broader approach to hinterland distribution.

This highly successful arrangement has evolved into a series of mature relationships with importers and cargo-owners, together with their third-party operators, ensuring that the very best possible supply chain solutions are specified and consistently delivered. This results in the most cost-effective options being utilised by optimising every link in the chain while, at the same time, removing any that are unnecessary.

Port-centric Logistics - Integrated supply chain solutions

In direct response to the growing trend for overseas manufacturing and in conjunction with many of the Group’s port and logistics operations in countries of origin, Hutchison’s UK ports have increasingly established themselves as leaders in the field of Global Logistics. From ‘Factory Gate - Postcode Delivered’, the Group now has responsibility for a growing number of manufacturing brands all wishing to take advantage of Hutchison’s unique position. Whether it’s a full end-to-end service or simply an element of cross-docking and consolidation, a package of Managed Logistics Services can be tailored to cater for the entire needs of a cargo-owner. Systems and hardware such as ‘PARIS’ and ‘SaviTrak’ also add to the supply chain elements that are available through Hutchison.

Hutchison’s Port-centric Logistics concentrate on supply-chain solutions at the very point of landing in the EU. Leveraging the advantages of a port location, offering devanning, consolidation and bonding all within the security of a policed complex, Hutchison’s ports continue to work closely with both the Shipper and Consignee.

By challenging the ‘traditional model’ whole sections of the supply chain have been removed and with them, expensive and wasteful practices. Early visibility, fast tracking, elimination of demurrage and the driving down of inventory levels are just a few of the advantages to be realised from the services on offer. Multi-modal capabilities for break-bulk cargoes are also available including inbound rail distribution and next-day continental European deliveries by trailer direct from our logistics facilities.

All of the on-Port warehousing is now assigned to the provision of Managed Logistics Services with tens of thousands of containers each year now routed internally for devanning, palletisation, labelling, conditioning, picking and packing for onward distribution.

The Port of Felixstowe Logistics Division provides customer personalised on-site container transport solutions. Containers can be repositioned overnight, avoiding peak times at the container terminal, whilst also allowing for the delivery of these to a customer’s site during operationally quiet times.

This in turn enhances the customer’s opportunity to achieve its optimal operational capabilities, by reducing the impact of container movements on their operations and also providing containers ready for first thing in the morning.

The Port of Felixstowe provides over 70,000 square metres of warehousing located within the HM Revenue and Customs wharf-approved area, providing the cargo owner with the unique opportunity to benefit from importing containers that would otherwise be overweight for travel on UK roads. 2009 also saw the development of on-port temperature-controlled Consignment Handling Services in a collaboration between the Port and Seafast Celsius Ltd. This new Port-centric solution now offers a range of services to carriers, importers and cargo owners of cold chain consignments all seeking to reduce their supply chain costs and improve their overall efficiency.