Maritime launches intermodal service from Felixstowe to Wakefield

Maritime Transport Ltd. (Maritime) has expanded its rail freight capacity with a new intermodal service from the Port of Felixstowe to its rail terminal at Wakefield Europort.

Operated by long-standing partner, GB Railfreight, Maritime’s eleventh service to date and second Felixstowe to Wakefield connection commenced on Monday 8th March, and runs five days a week from Monday to Friday with a total transport capacity of 73 TEU in each direction which will expand to 90 TEU over the coming weeks.

The rake initially comprises of a mix of wagon types, including two Eco Triples, two Q8s and eleven IKA Twins. The combination of a variety of wagons is significant, as it allows for enhanced flexibility, maximising the number of boxes that can be carried to better satisfy consumer demand and make more effective use of overall capacity.

Commenting on the new service, John Bailey, Managing Director – Intermodal and Terminals at Maritime, stated: ‘We are very pleased to be working with our GB Railfreight partners to deliver essential intermodal services across the nation, and provide new opportunities for our customers during this difficult period. Both the Port of Felixstowe and Wakefield Europort serve as major hubs for global freight, and we are enormously proud to be announcing this new service which holds true to our strategy of making transport more sustainable.’

GB Railfreight now operates seven intermodal services into Maritime’s rail terminals in Tamworth (BIFT), Trafford Park, Wakefield, and East Midlands Gateway, highlighting the close and valued relationships Maritime maintains with its partners, and its ongoing commitment to providing customers with efficient and effective logistics solutions.

‘I am thrilled to see the beginning of this new service,’ said John Smith, Managing Director at GB Railfreight. ‘We are extremely proud to be able to continue our work with Maritime to deliver first-class service, which demonstrates sustained growth for our companies and shows an inherent trust in our long-standing partnership.’

He added: ‘Our growth in intermodal shows GBRf’s dedication to innovation, offering flexible door-to-door solutions that meet our customer’s needs, as well as a consistently reliable service.’

Located to the northeast of Wakefield adjacent to the M62, Maritime’s Wakefield terminal provides a vital connection between the major UK ports and the large consumer and manufacturing conurbation in northern England and beyond. At present, the terminal has storage capacity for up to 2000 TEU, with four daily services currently operating to the UK’s major deep sea ports, equating to around 1,400 container moves and 3,200 yard movements every week.