Rail freight is increasingly acting as the pressure valve for Britain’s container ports. Quayside and landside congestion at individual terminals prompts carriers and port operators to lean on inland and inter-port rail connectivity to keep supply chains moving.
The latest example is DP World’s London Gateway, where ongoing congestion has led shipping lines to review port rotations. In response, one shipping line has diverted a scheduled port call to Southampton. The disruption underlines the flexibility of modern deep-water hubs. It also highlights how, even on Britain’s heavily used network, rail can reshape how congestion is managed across the UK port fleet.
London Gateway responding to its success
Persistent congestion at London Gateway, driven by surging import volumes, particularly from China, has lengthened berth waiting times and threatened schedule reliability. In response, French carrier CMA CGM has temporarily adjusted its South America – Europe trade route (designated “SAFRAN”) to call at Southampton instead of London Gateway. That temporary adjustment has been going on for more than half a year. It has now been extended through the first quarter of 2026.
Down on the north bank of the Thames, DP World, the owner of London Gateway, is engaged in a radical expansion of the terminal. The programme, reported in March, is going from four shipping berths to six. It will also see the building of a second rail terminal. Southampton benefitted from a Network Rail programme, completed in 2021, which eased rail access. DP World, which operates both terminals, runs a five-times-a-week inter-port rail service, enabling containers to be transferred directly between the two southern English terminals. The Dubai-headquartered company also encourages shippers to move containers inland by rail by offering a financial bounty.
Rail-led resilience beyond the South East
The same model is visible at other British intermodal ports. At Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port, rail already accounts for around a third of all container movements. It’s often rightly quoted as Britain’s busiest rail freight terminal, which happens to have a port attached. On the West Coast, Liverpool has positioned itself as a rail-connected alternative for deep-sea and short-sea services. The port’s direct rail access to the West Coast Main Line is frequently cited in expansion proposals, even as grand as an autonomous rail tunnel under the city to facilitate better freight access.
Further north, Grangemouth illustrates how rail underpins resilience at short-sea container ports. It doesn’t handle vessels of the size alongside at London Gateway and Southampton. However, it is a strong connection for feeder and European short-sea services. Grangemouth has rail right onto the quayside and functions as a strategic redistribution hub, rather than just a local terminal.
Pressure likely to persist
London Gateway is progressing with its expansion programme aimed at increasing capacity and improving resilience. However, with global trade flows remaining volatile and vessel sizes continuing to grow, congestion risks are unlikely to disappear entirely. The move by the French carrier CMA CGM (see WorldCargoNews.com) merely reflects the health of the UK maritime sector as a whole. The ability to switch port calls without breaking inland supply chains depends increasingly on rail connectivity.
In the near term, carriers are expected to continue fine-tuning rotations. Port operators are being encouraged to lean more heavily on rail. The UK government is eager to see its net-zero targets aided by more both inter-port and port-to-inland rail freight. As Britain’s port fleet continues to reshape and regenerate, rail is proving a central tool for Britain’s intermodal logistics.