Mega-ship facility for Port of Felixstowe
The Berth 9 Extension at the Port of Felixstowe has been opened by Dr Therese Coffey MP, Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.
The 190-metre extension increases the port’s capability to work two of the world’s largest containerships simultaneously. More than eighty ships of 18,000+TEU have already been handled at the port in 2015.
The quay length of the port’s newest terminal is now 920 metres, and the total quay length in the port nearly 4,000 metres.
The port has acquired three new ship-to-shore gantry cranes to work on the extended terminal. The cranes are capable of working vessels with containers stacked 10-high, and 24-wide, on deck. There are now 10 cranes on Berths 8&9 and 36 in the port as a whole.
The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the UK, handling 44% of all UK container traffic.
Clemence Cheng, CEO of the Port of Felixstowe and Managing Director of HPH Europe division, added: “The Berth 9 Extension represents the latest phase of development at the Port of Felixstowe. Our programme of continued investment has ensured that the UK remains a destination for direct calls by the latest generation of mega-ships.”
A new ambient-temperature food examination facility has also been formally opened at the Port of Felixstowe. The £4 million investment included a major refurbishment and expansion of the examination facilities and the provision of new offices for Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority. The new facility covers an area of 3,045 square metres with a further 840 square metres of office space and meeting rooms for both port and Port Health staff. Separate examination chambers, including segregated areas for dusty products such as chilli, spices and other powders, allow multiple consignments to be examined without the risk of contamination.
