Transport Minister Robert Goodwill MP has taken part in a round table discussion with transport leaders from the ports, road, rail freight and shipping industry at the Port of Felixstowe, the Port of Britain.
Mr Goodwill’s responsibilities at the Department for Transport include ports and shipping but the meeting, convened by Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, included discussions about the need for a joined-up approach connecting the maritime sector with other areas of transport policy.
Commenting on the meeting, Clemence Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Felixstowe and Managing Director of HPH Europe division, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Robert Goodwill and leaders from across the industry to participate in these discussions. As trade and the ships that carry it continue to grow, further pressure is placed on transport infrastructure and transport operators.
“It is essential for an efficient and seamless transport network for all elements of the supply chain to work together to drive efficiency. We believe that meetings such as these are important to foster greater levels of cooperation and understanding.”
The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the UK, handling 44% of all UK container traffic. It also has the country’s largest intermodal rail freight terminal and handled nearly 900,000 TEU by rail in 2014.
The importance of the port is recognised in the Government’s National Infrastructure plan which includes improvements to its road and rail connections as leading priorities for investment.