State-of-the-art fully automated stacking cranes (ASCs) currently being installed at the UK’s new national hub port will increase reliability and ensure smoother, more efficient operations 24 hours a day, even in weather conditions that would force non-automated systems to close.
One of the first to view the new equipment being erected was UK Transport Minister Stephen Hammond, who witnessed the first of 40 ASCs being constructed at London Gateway, which opens later this year.
Stephen Hammond MP, commenting on the ‘immense scale’ of the new London Gateway port and Europe’s largest logistics park, said: “It really is quite an astonishing example of how UK plc can bring together the best of the best to plan, design, finance, construct and operate world-leading port infrastructure.”
London Gateway CEO Simon Moore welcomed the Minister’s visit and said: “We welcome the opportunity to continue to work with the Government and demonstrate how we can together make the UK more competitive for importing and exporting, by reducing costs and improving reliability in UK supply chains.”
The reliability offered by fully automated ASCs that are able to operate in adverse weather conditions comes as welcome news to hauliers who are often required to deliver containers to warehouse or distribution centres within a 15-minute ‘window’. A port operations stoppage can cause immense disruption, as time slots can be lost, adding unnecessary cost, delays and frustration across supply chains.
Nick Matthews, Managing Director of haulage film Roadways Container Logistics, has committed to using London Gateway when it opens in Q4 of this year. Matthews said: “We’ve been leading the way in innovation and we see the future of logistics and shipping in the UK is at London Gateway.”
The new port’s location is also another vital part of the mix – not only on the doorstep of the capital, but also closer to the major population centres of Birmingham and Manchester, which means, substantial cost savings for supply chains as a result of less road miles and time needed to move containers inland.
Independent studies predict that more than 65 million road miles and 148,000 tons of CO2 emissions will be eliminated from the UK’s supply chains when London Gateway is fully built.
The London Gateway construction site spreads over an astonishing three square miles. The Minister was able to see for himself the extraordinary pace of activity as 2,000 construction workers build the new port and what will be Europe’s largest logistics park.
London Gateway is one of the UK’s largest privately funded infrastructure projects and is expected to create 36,000 jobs when fully developed.
It was announced this week that the new London gateway port, currently taking shape for a Q4 opening, is installing the first of 40 state-of-the-art automated cranes.
One of the key points we noted was that the new cranes could operate in adverse weather, something hauliers will be rejoicing about no doubt. The litmus test is how adverse the weather can be whilst still operating. London Gateways main competitor, The Port of Felixstowe, struggles with bad weather with operation stack frequently in force to the dismay of hauliers and customers alike.
It’s said that when the new port is fully operational more than 65 million road miles and 148,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions will be eliminated from the UK’s supply chain.
This will be Europe’s largest logistics park with 36,000 jobs provided when fully developed.
Being based in Felixstowe we are obviously concerned about the impact on jobs here and whether there is enough business for both ports to flourish. We sincerely hope that The Port of Felixstowe manages to find its way in these uncertain times and that two world leading ports can live and thrive side by side.
This development should have never been given the go ahead. This new port will not create new work just steal from other ports in the country. For every one job London gateway creates that's one job lost elsewhere in the country.
ReplyDeleteAs for traveling times I find it hard to believe that people would rather use the M25 than the A14 to transport there goods and think the M25 is the better option.
The existing ports in the country operate fine with great road and rail links yes London Gateway is another option but it could also be a very costly mistake.
Very well put - the hard facts and the truth.
DeleteIt's just the government with its London blinkers on, as long as work is being created in London I don't think they really care what happens in other parts of the country.
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