Warehouses near docks are key to the future of freight distribution

As Tim Davies of Colliers International says: “There are limits to the levels of freight which can be brought into the UK by rail and we are already seeing many airports straining to cope with their present capacity, let alone the freight projections for the new few decades”. “In reality the only realistic solution is to ensure our ports are geared up to cope with the lion’s share of freight arriving in the UK”, and given the close proximity of the Avonmouth and Royal Portbury Docks, this puts Central Park in a fantastic position to thrive.

The majority of goods now come from low cost economies via container shipping and Colliers International forecasts the continued growth in container shipping passing through Europe’s ports is set to outstrip overall growth for the foreseeable future.
As a result shipping lines are introducing ever-larger ships on the main trade routes in particular those from the Far East to reduce costs and save fuel. Ultra-large containers carriers (ULCC)  are predicted to account for more than half of the capacity of the world’s total container fleet by 2015. In order for ports in the UK to compete they will have to be able to handle these ULCCs.

It is welcome news therefore that the Avonmouth Docks are prepared for this more than likely increase in activity, including from ULCCs, as the Bristol Port Company’s plan for the development of a £600m deep sea terminal at Avonmouth has been approved. This development will not only double the Docks capacity but will also allow three 400m vessels to be handled at a time.  This is great news as it will be those ports which can secure deep water berths first that will be able to gain the upper hand in negotiations with shipping lines looking to deliver containers to the UK.

Source: Logistics Manager