Shipping giant to end use of major port

A major container shipping company has announced it will no longer use the Port of Felixstowe from next year.

Maersk said its operations at the Suffolk-based port would cease from February following a review of its network.

The firm said it had concluded that the London Gateway port on the Thames estuary in Essex was “the most optimal port to serve our customers” in the UK.

It said it expected to share further details “over the next couple of weeks”.

In a statement on its website, Maersk said: “This change will affect the Asia-Europe trades under the scope of the Gemini co-operation.

“The previously announced Middle East-Europe (London Gateway) and Trans-Atlantic (Southampton) Gemini services remain unchanged.

“The rest of our own operated services outside the scope of the Gemini Co-operation also remain unchanged.”

The company added it remained “committed” to its customers during the “transition to this new network”.