With congestion continuing to plague southern ports, shipping providers are increasingly rerouting to northern ports, including Liverpool, to take advantage of shorter waiting times and efficient onward services. One recent example is a new express feeder service from Southampton to Liverpool, provided by global shipping line Yang Ming, which has smashed its initial targets almost immediately after launching in June, underlining demand for a direct Far East call at the port.
The new service was facilitated by Liverpool-based, Trinity Logistics, a privately owned freight forwarder servicing the North West region. Managing director Amanda Unsworth explained why the Yang Ming service has been so successful.
Delays in deliveries from certain southern ports earlier in the year resulted in huge backlogs of cargo, with onward rail freight services buckling under pressure and impacting the service we can offer to our customers.
We pride ourselves in being able to offer supply chain solutions to keep our customers’ businesses moving, so with no sign of improvement at some southern ports, I met earlier in the year with a team from Yang Ming.
We discussed introducing an express feeder service from Southampton to the Port of Liverpool, where turnaround times are much lower and port operation is more efficient, as well as being closer to the end user for the final leg of delivery.
As the biggest user of the Yang Ming feeder to Liverpool, with over 70 containers currently arriving into the UK each week bound for destinations across the north of England, it was essential that the solution we offered would help grow business and in turn benefit the north.
And the good news is that the new service has been hailed a success, with Yang Ming commenting that although they expected good demand, the immediate growth has been exceptional.
Customer service is at the heart of our business – and it’s one of the reasons that we work so closely with the Port of Liverpool. Unlike others, it’s not a faceless port. I’m able to pick up the phone and have a conversation with someone. Direct relationships like these are hugely valuable in being able to build trusted partnerships with the supply chain.
In addition to this, one of our main goals is to keep cargo off the roads and utilise the rail network and water – something which we’re able to do by encouraging shipping lines to route into Liverpool and take advantage of efficient multimodal onward services.
It’s all the above that have allowed our relatively small business to build a reputation for excellent service and break into working with established brands. Having the cargo available locally means we’re able to offer a more bespoke service, and flexibility in terms onward delivery and warehousing. We can offer a reliable service to a variety of customers by using local hauliers and services.
However, there do remain some challenges for logistics providers – not least the uncertainty faced by Brexit. The supply chain, particularly land-side, is also becoming more challenging as rising insurance and fuel charges are driving hauliers out of business. It can be difficult to get a reliable service – which is why being able to offer alternative rail and water services from southern ports up north has become all the more important.
For more information about the Port of Liverpool, visit www.peelports.com/ports/liverpool
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