Various cities that are culturally and financially significant make Great Britain a key hub for international trade. For businesses seeking customs clearance services in the UK, Partida Logistics provides reliable support. You can learn more about their services here.
As expected, Great Britain is home to some of the world’s most important seaports for international trade. To ensure smooth and efficient shipping and logistics operations, you may explore Partida Logistics’ logistics services. In this post, we’ll tell you all about the busiest commercial seaports in Great Britain.
Which are the busiest commercial seaports in Great Britain?
These are the seaports in Great Britain with the highest volume of goods coming in and out. Have you heard of them?
Port of Felixstowe
Felixstowe is an English town located in the county of Suffolk. It is situated on the southeastern coast of Great Britain, by the North Sea, and is home to the famous Port of Felixstowe. The port is located near the estuary of the River Orwell and the River Stour. Felixstowe is the busiest port in the UK, handling 48% of the country’s container traffic. Additionally, it is the eighth busiest port in Europe, with container traffic of 3.8 million TEUs. Felixstowe was the first port specifically designed for container management, and it currently serves the largest container ships in the world. These are its main features:
- Thanks to its deep waters, it easily accommodates megaships, especially at berths 8 and 9, which are reserved for container megaships.
- The port has three railway lines, facilitating intermodal rail freight. Felixstowe handles 47 freight trains daily.
- It is one of the most modern and well-equipped ports in the country and is considered the best container port in Europe.
- It is owned by the company Hutchison Whampoa Ltd.
- The port has its own police authority, jurisdiction, joint ambulance service, and fire department.
Port of Southampton
The Port of Southampton is located on the southern coast of England and is renowned for hosting the largest cruise ships in the world, such as those from Royal Caribbean, Saga Cruise, Olsen, or Fred. However, it also handles large amounts of cargo. Southampton enjoys an excellent location, with direct connections to both the rail system and the British road network. This makes logistics highly efficient at the port. What else stands out about the Port of Southampton? Let’s look at some key points:
- It handles up to 820,000 cars as automotive cargo, with 80 hectares dedicated to vehicle storage and five multi-story parking garages.
- The port hosts the second-largest container terminal in the UK, processing more than 1.5 million TEUs annually.
- It dispatches 23 containers daily to regions in Great Britain that generate significant volumes of goods, such as the Midlands and Scotland.
Port of London
The Port of London stretches between the River Thames and the North Sea. It serves as the gateway to the UK’s financial capital. In the past, it had the distinction of being the most important port in the world. Today, it is the second-largest port in the UK. Let’s explore some details about the Port of London:
- In 2018, port traffic reached 51.2 million tons, a record not seen in over a decade. By 2035, the port expects to receive 80 million tons of cargo via its river routes.
- It has some of the best rail, road, and maritime connections with the rest of the UK.
- All cargo facilities at the port are privately owned, and a wide range of goods is handled, from containers to hazardous materials, food, and machinery.
Port of Immingham
This seaport, known as Immingham Docks, is located in Lincolnshire, England. Specifically, it is near the coast of the North Sea, south of the Humber estuary. Until 2012, it was the largest port in the UK, and it is currently the port with the highest tonnage capacity in the country, handling 55 million tons of cargo per year. Some of its key features include:
- It guarantees sustainable electricity generation by being connected to the Humber, considered the UK’s energy estuary.
- This port is crucial for accessing the country’s energy sources, handling 10 million tons of coal and 20 million tons of oil annually.
- Its Ro-Ro services cater to Baltic, Scandinavian, and northern European markets, being less than 24 hours away from them.
Port of Liverpool
Liverpool is located on the west coast of England, at the mouth of the River Mersey. This makes it the most centrally located port in all of Great Britain, allowing it to handle a wide variety of cargo types, including agricultural products, containers, automobiles, bulk goods, forest and energy products, metals, Ro-Ro cargo, and liquids. What else can we highlight about the Port of Liverpool? Let’s take a look:
- It has a $400 million transfer terminal designed to receive megaships arriving at the port.
- It is a major tourist attraction, as it is home to some of the country’s most iconic and timeless buildings, known as the “Three Graces” of Liverpool, located on the waterfront and reflecting Edwardian Baroque architecture.
Do you need to use a British port? Do you have questions about which seaport is best for shipping your products in Great Britain? Contact Partida Logistics now to get the answers and support you need for your logistics processes.
