Container shipping giant Maersk is to relocate from the Port of Felixstowe to London Gateway following a strategic review of its Asia to Europe services.
The Danish firm said the London hub, which carries more than a quarter of the UK’s deep sea shipping cargo, was the “most optimal port” to serve its import and export customers.
The change will come into place from February 2025, with Felixstowe no longer included as a part of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd’s shared Gemini network.
It will impact Asia to Europe trades under the scope of the Gemini corporation. However, Trans-Atlantic trades and between the Middle East and Europe under Gemini will remain unchanged.
Maersk’s decision to ditch its Suffolk operations is a big vote of confidence in London as a major hub for global shipping.
It comes after the Dubai ports operator DP World committed to invest £1bn in London Gateway at the Labour government’s flagship investment summit earlier this year.
Felixstowe and London Gateway have been locked in a battle to become the UK’s largest port in recent years. While DP World’s £1bn investment was a huge win for London Gateway, Felixstowe has the backing of Hong Kong’s richest man, the billionaire investor Li Ka-shing.
In an interview with City AM in October, the UK Chamber of Shipping’s chief executive Rhett Hatcher was bullish on the capital’s shipping market. “There are a number of international surveys tracking the most successful port cities, maritime cities… London’s never outside of the top three,” he said at the time.