Hutchison Ports’ London Thamesport has announced plans to expand short sea container services with the introduction of a new service from Viasea Shipping.
The expansion of services aims to provide more options and increased reliability for shippers in the southeast of the UK while also offering a more sustainable and efficient transportation solution.
The new service from London Thamesport will include weekly calls to Moerdijk (Netherlands) and the Norwegian Ports of Oslo, Moss, and Kristiansand, with further connections to the Baltics and Poland.
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Mark Taylor, Director of London Thamesport, stated that the port is already well-established as one of the leading short sea container ports in the southeast of England and the new service complements existing connections.
“The south of UK has significant volumes of import/export to Northern Europe and Baltic region,” added Morten Pettersen, Managing Director of Viasea.
“Adding a call at London Thamesport will allow us to assist UK shippers and receivers to reduce their reliance on the heavily congested Channel crossings and will allow greater predictability for deliveries.
“It will also offer a greener route reducing the distances travelled by road as we bring our vessel closer the market in this region.”
At the end of last year, dockworkers at the Port of Felixstowe, owned by Hutchison Ports, reached a deal ending months of strike action that rampaged through UK’s largest container port.
The port said that over 90 per cent of its workers agreed to accept a pay deal that would lift wages 8.5 per cent in 2023.
