Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP has taken part in a round table discussion with transport leaders from the ports, road, rail freight and shipping industry at the Port of Felixstowe, the Port of Britain.
Mr Goodwill’s responsibilities at the Department for Transport include ports and shipping but the meeting, convened by Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, included discussions about the need for a joined-up approach connecting the maritime sector with other areas of transport policy.
Commenting on the meeting, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Felixstowe and Managing Director of HPH Europe division, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Robert Goodwill and leaders from across the industry to participate in these discussions. As trade and the ships that carry it continue to grow, further pressure is placed on transport infrastructure and transport operators.
“It is essential for an efficient and seamless transport network for all elements of the supply chain to work together to drive efficiency. We believe that meetings such as these are important to foster greater levels of cooperation and understanding.”
The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the UK, handling 44% of all UK container traffic. It also has the country’s largest intermodal rail freight terminal and handled nearly 900,000 TEU by rail in 2014.
The importance of the port is recognised in the Government’s National Infrastructure plan which includes improvements to its road and rail connections as leading priorities for investment.
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Notes to Editors:
For further information, please contact Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs, on Tel No: +44 (0)1394 602063, Fax No: +44 (0)1394 604943 or E-mail daveyps@hpuk.co.uk / www.portoffelixstowe.co.uk
Port of Felixstowe (PFL) is the largest container port in the UK, and one of the largest in Europe. PFL is a member of the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group. Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH), a subsidiary of the multinational conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (CK Hutchison), is the world’s leading port investor, developer and operator. The HPH network of port operations comprises 319 berths in 52 ports, spanning 26 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. Over the years, HPH has expanded internationally into other logistics and transportation-related businesses. These include cruise ship terminals, airport operations, distribution centres, rail services, and ship repair facilities. In 2014, the HPH port network handled a combined throughput of 82.9 million TEU worldwide.