Port of Felixstowe Operational Update

The port is experiencing the impact of the recent Suez Canal blockage. Volumes will be lower than normal this week after which we expect to be very busy as delayed and diverted vessels arrive at the same time as scheduled vessels.

To help manage the extra volume, we are pleased to announce that we will extend Sunday opening hours for collection & delivery of containers for four weeks from this Sunday, 18.04.2021. The port is already open to road haulage from 19:00hrs on Sundays through until 15:00hrs on the following Saturday. We will now open from 11:00hrs Sunday to assist customers with collection of urgent import containers. Shipping operations remain 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.

Otherwise, the Port of Felixstowe continues to work closely with partners to support vital supply chains. The latest operation update is as follows:

• The port is fully operational. In the week to 11.04.2021, we handled 57,133 TEU across the quay, 13,733 TEU to/from rail, and 20,454 containers to/from road vehicles


• 95% of import containers are available for collection within 10 minutes of discharge from the vessel


• Onsite private Covid testing continues and has been upgraded to provide rapid testing for the benefit of employees and household members but which also maximises labour availability


• Both container terminals are open on Sundays from 19:00hrs for road collections/deliveries. Shipside operations are 24/7


• Each shipping line has an agreed empty storage capacity. The receipt of empty containers is managed on a line-by-line basis. If a line exceeds its empty storage capacity, receipt of empty containers for that line are temporarily suspended until sufficient empties are removed. Empty containers are currently being received for all customers


• Piling for strengthening works to Berth 6 commenced the week of 15.03.2021 and will continue for circa 8 weeks. The piling will be during the day only and will be intermittent


• In the week to 11.04.2021, a total of 21,170 VBS bookings were available of which 8,877 went unused (5,148 at Trinity and 3,729 at Berths 8&9). More information is available here.


• There are fewer VBS bookings 06:00-07:00 and 18:00-19:00 in order to clean machinery at shift changeover. The protection of our employees and port users remains our No.1 priority


• In the week to 11.04.2021, the average turnaround times for hauliers were 30.06 minutes at Trinity Terminal and 29.56 minutes at Berths 8&9. 

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding

13 April 2021