DP World boosts London Gateway-Southampton rail service

DP World has launched a second weekly rail service connecting the London Gateway and Southampton logistics hubs.

This critical expansion is set to enhance UK supply chain resilience while slashing carbon emissions by cutting more than 1 million truck miles a year.

The new mid-week train will be operated by Freightliner from 1 October, augmenting the existing weekend service, and providing customers with increased access to extensive storage and handling, freight forwarding and delivery services at London Gateway Logistics Park.

Customers using the new rail service can also benefit from DP World’s Modal Shift Programme, which has already boosted the share of rail freight at Southampton from 21 to more than 30 per cent.

John Trenchard, Vice President – Commercial & Supply Chain of DP World UK, said: “Launching a second rail service between London Gateway and Southampton is the next logical step for us, given the clear benefits for our customers.

“Providing a cleaner and more cost-efficient way to move cargo across the country is a key priority for DP World in the UK, and modal shift has consistently proven to be a reliable and flexible solution.”

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Chris Lawrenson, Managing Director – Intermodal Logistics, Freightliner Group, said: “Freightliner are delighted to continue supporting DP World with their second weekly port train service, working in partnership to develop further modal shift between Southampton and London Gateway.

“Our fleet of rolling stock and carbon efficient trains provide customers with lower carbon options for their international container movements.”

Earlier this month, the company announced an expansion of its specialist logistics service offering for customers in the retail and chemical sectors.

More recently, Community Network Services (CNS) and SeaRates, both DP World subsidiaries, announced the launch of CNS Enterprise, a cloud-based suite of services to streamline workflows.