New Liverpool Docks to East Midlands Freight Terminal service as ships divert from Felixstowe

[mwmbwls]

In 2019 the Nottingham Post reported the opening of the East Midlands freight terminal

https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/first-ever-freight-train-pulls-3657970

The Handy Shipping Guide now reports a new MSC ( Mediterranean Shipping Company) has launched a new rail feeder service from Liverpool docks. Ships are now being diverted from Felixstowe.

https://www.handyshippingguide.com/...line-opens-intermodal-rail-freight-link_13362

Does anybody have further details?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Would it be this one?
Realtime Trains - 4D62 0516 Seaforth C.T. (Gbrf) to East Mids Gateway Tml Gbrf

Runs via Huyton and Lichfield TV to Castle Donington.
Presumably the ship is one of those diverted from Felixstowe because of the current congestion there.
This is said to be caused by traders "stocking up" goods for the UK ahead of Brexit and likely disruption.
Today's service is currently en route, just navigating the curve up to the high level line at Lichfield.

 

[Pacef8]

Shipping giant switches transatlantic route to Liverpool - Liverpool Business News

In a major coup for Port of Liverpool owner Peel Ports, the Maersk Line and MSC 2M Alliance will take its giant container vessels on the route out of Felixstowe and […]

t.co

 

[high camera]

MSC Lorena showing as in Seaforth docks Liverpool now. Have they got direct dockside to rail transfer sorted here yet ?

 

[Llandudno]

Will the Port of Liverpool benefit from a no deal Brexit?

 

[furnessvale]

MSC Lorena showing as in Seaforth docks Liverpool now. Have they got direct dockside to rail transfer sorted here yet ?

I don't believe any port handles containers to rail that way. The chances of containers coming off the ship in the correct order to load directly to trains is slim indeed.

 

[frodshamfella]

Nice boost for the city.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Will the Port of Liverpool benefit from a no deal Brexit?

Only if we start importing/exporting more food and other stuff from outside the EU.
South/east coast ports always have the advantage where ships call in at both UK and EU ports, as most do.

 

[furnessvale]

Only if we start importing/exporting more food and other stuff from outside the EU.
South/east coast ports always have the advantage where ships call in at both UK and EU ports, as most do.

Correct. Only two shipping routes are really suitable for Liverpool.

Firstly, anything crossing the North Atlantic where Liverpool's position is not a disadvantage compared to South Atlantic.

Secondly, trans-shipment to feeders from locations such as Algeciras where avoiding congested SE UK ports can be advantageous.

Any thoughts of permanently winning round the world vessels that currently call at SE UK ports before/after making mainland European calls is wishful thinking.

 

[edwin_m]

I don't believe any port handles containers to rail that way. The chances of containers coming off the ship in the correct order to load directly to trains is slim indeed.

Some other countries use the "dry port" concept where all activities other than the actual loading/unloading of the ship take place at an inland site. Incoming containers can be loaded direct on the quayside in the order they are stacked onto a shuttle train that takes them to the dry port, where they are offloaded, clear customs, are sorted for onward road or rail delivery and stored until that takes place (and the same in reverse for outgoing containers). However this requires capacity on the rail network for trains to move out immediately they are loaded, to make room for the next train and minimise the time the ship is tied up and not earning money. That probably isn't possible on our busy mixed-traffic railway where container trains have to adhere to strict timetable slots. So quite a lot of box storage (whether sitting on trains or on the ground) would be needed at the actual port, and the main reason to consider a dry port in the first place is that there is no space for things like that.