DP World London Gateway celebrates one year of opening

As Britain’s new hub port celebrates its first birthday DP World London Gateway has expanded its network of shipping links and destinations, attracting a series of new deep-sea container shipping
services. Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has confirmed that from next month (December), its service from South Africa to UK/Northwest Europe will make a direct London Gateway call, switching from the Port of Felixstowe.

 The new rotation will offer the best possible UK port coverage, MSC has told shippers. The first MSC vessel to call into DP World London Gateway on the new rotation will be the MSC Rita, which is due to arrive 7th December. DP World London Gateway has also been chosen by Hamburg Süd as the UK port of call for a brand new service connecting the North European market with Mexico, Central America and Colombia.

The first ship to call into DP World London Gateway on this weekly, fixed-day Europe-Mexico-Caribbean Service (EMCS) will be the Cap Beaufort, arriving this week. Hamburg Süd has launched the new service to meet its customers’ requests for a fast, direct, independent service between North Europe, Mexico and Central America.

 The port rotation is Antwerp, London Gateway, Hamburg, Altamira, Veracruz, Puerto Limon, Cartagena, Marin, Antwerp. “The best-in-class facilities and inspection systems established at DP World London Gateway's Border Control Post will play a vital role in meeting the needs of this new service," said Tabare Dominguez, DP World London Gateway Port Commercial Manager. “The EMCS will carry a large quantity of fruit and fresh produce.

 The time-critical nature of this cargo goes without saying. Furthermore, at DP World London Gateway, importers can be confident of fast and efficient inspection procedures, and a rapid and reliable turnaround of trucks at the terminal.” In another service win for DP World London Gateway, the Chilean line CSAV has confirmed a weekly call into the port as part of its reconfigured Europe-Middle East/India (IMEX) services, which will join the already established EPIC service at DP World London Gateway. The IMEX Sling 1, starting this month (November), will be served by eight 5,500-6,500 TEU vessels. It will cover key ports in North Europe, the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf, Pakistan and India West Coast. It will also offer two hubs in the Mediterranean, extending CSAV’s presence and the opportunities for shippers in this region.