British port volume off 9.5pc in 2009, Felixstowe still tops Southampton

BRITISH transport officials have published figures that show total freight traffic through UK ports was 508 million tonnes, a decline of 9.5 per cent year on year.

Felixstowe maintained its position as the UK's biggest container port in 2009 with 1.86 million containers, down four per cent on 2008, reported the UK's Transport Intelligence. Southampton maintained its position in second place with 0.84 million containers, down 12 per cent.

Inbound traffic fell 11 per cent to 308 million tonnes while outbound volumes fell seven per cent to 201 million tonnes. Grimsby and Immingham maintained its position as the UK's busiest port in volume at 54.7 million tonnes (down 10.6 million tonnes on 2008), followed by London with 45.4 million tonnes (down 7.5 million tonnes).

Total unitised traffic through UK major ports was 20.9 million units, a fall of nine per cent on 2008. Inbound traffic fell by 8.1 per cent to 10.9 million units and outwards traffic fell by 9.9 per cent to 10.1 million units.

Dover was the top UK port for ro-ro freight units with 2.29 million units, down by less than half of one per cent on 2008. Grimsby and Immingham was the next biggest port for ro-ro freight units at 0.66 million units, down eight per cent on 2008.
(Source:www.schednet.com)