MSC renews with Freightliner through Hutchison's Port of Felixstowe

GENEVA's Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has extended its contract with Freightliner Ltd, which means it will be handling greater volumes of containerised rail freight in northwest England, reports Rail Staff.

This comes after MSC started using the new berths 8 and 9 at the Port of Felixstowe, meaning the renewed contract is an expansion of the existing Freightliner/ MSC service that makes 30,000 container moves per year.

Said Freightliner managing director Adam Cunliffe: "The contract helps to support the additional capacity that MSC is providing through the new berth 8 and 9 at Felixstowe that are able to support the new generation 14,000-TEU containerships.

As a result of handling greater volumes by rail at the port, 6,000 additional truck journeys annually will be avoided on the UK's congested roads.

"In addition, it is intended that the service will be hauled by Freightliner's new PowerHaul locomotives which uniquely combines, longer trains enabling increases in container volumes with reduced CO2 emissions," said Mr Cunliffe.

Source: Seatrade-asia