Storm Eunice hits UK shipping hard causing port closures and bottlenecks
The wreckage caused by Storm Eunice over the weekend didn’t only halt the UK’s road, rail and aviation networks but created unfathomable damages also the UK ports and the overall shipping industry.
As a result of the 122mph high winds that stroke across the country, cross-channel ferries were cancelled on Friday, leading to additional bottlenecks at the already busy port of Dover, where hour-long queues have become the new normal.
Some of the UK’s biggest ports – including Felixstowe, Southampton and London Gateway – were forced to halt operations and close for the week because of the weather.
According to data from supply chain company project44, between 17 and 18 February imported containers took three times longer to be moved at Felixstowe, while dwell time at London Gateway jumped from four to more than eight days.
Even though ports reopened briefly on 19 February, operations were disrupted as Storm Franklin – the third storm to be named in a week – passed through the country. Operations at Felixstowe, Southampton as well as European ports like Antwerp, Dublin and Rotterdam have been annulled.
“The recent storms add to a myriad of unpredictable events which have hindered global supply chains. As maritime delays worsen, cargo prices rise and disruptions become more common, shippers are therefore under an increasing amount of pressure,” project44’s supply chain insights vice president Josh Brazil told City PM
“With severe weather events set to become more frequent, supply chain visibility technology is now not a ‘nice-to-have’ but an essential facet of today’s supply chain that must be able to flex and adapt to a world where change is inevitable.”