Maersk announces it is leaving Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk

Maersk has announced that it is leaving the east Suffolk port from February 2025, threatening jobs in the area.

Behind Mediterranean Shipping Company, Maersk is the second-largest shipping firm in the world and will join Hapag-Lloyd in a new shipping line called the Gemini Line, which will be based out of London Gateway, rather than Felixstowe.

London Gateway has received billions of pounds of investment over the last few years, with £350million for a new fourth berth announced last week. 

The Port of Felixstowe declined to comment on the announcement.

The news of Maersk's departure has sparked disappointment from leaders from the county, such as MPs and Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.

Jenny Riddell-Carpenter, the MP for Suffolk Coastal, which includes the Port of Felixstowe, said: "I’m deeply disappointed with the news that Gemini will be dropping Felixstowe from its network.

MP for Suffolk Coastal Jenny Riddell-Carpenter has called for further investment in Suffolk infrastructure after the news (Image: Labour Party) "The Port of Felixstowe is the gateway to the UK’s trading network and is unrivalled in its offering to the global haulage market.

"Though I don’t have sight of Gemini’s rationale and strategic decision making, I know that investing in transport and infrastructure around the Port of Felixstowe is vital to its long-term commercial success, and the continued success of Felixstowe town and our local communities. "

Ms Carpenter is not the only one to call for further investment into the surrounding Felixstowe.

Paul Simon, head of public affairs and strategic communications at Suffolk Chamber of Commerce said: “This decision is certainly disappointing news, although it is unclear at this stage as to what it might mean for other parts of the very important ports and logistics sector in Suffolk.

Suffolk Chamber of Commerce's Paul Simon (Image: Charlotte Bond)

"Whatever the full commercial rationale for Maersk’s relocation to Thames Gateway, it makes it even more important that the rail and road infrastructure in and out of the Port of Felixstowe is the very best it can be to retain and attract businesses, as competition from other ports looks set only to intensify."

Mr Simon has also called for the need to "redouble efforts" to secure funding for Suffolk infrastructure projects such as the Copdock Interchange, Ely/Haughley rail junctions and the Orwell Bridge.

Mark Ling, the director of I.C.E. Transport, said that the news "doesn't come as a surprise" as "Suffolk has been asleep at the wheel".

Mark Ling is director of ICE Transport, a global transport management firm (Image: Mark Ling) He said: "Up the road in London, they have been investing heavily, their roads are far superior to ours, their rail connection is superior to ours and they have been pushing for investment to make the roads motorway standard.

"[London Gateway] are ambitious, they are looking enviously at what we have here and are pursuing it, whilst we have been complacent here."

The Orwell Bridge outside of Ipswich is a key route from Felixstowe into the rest of Suffolk, and issues with the bridge cause delays and issues backing into the Port (Image: Sonya Duncan) "There are 15,000 jobs in Felixstowe, in and around the port, and they will just pack up and go to London.

"I have been discussing this for the past 15 years but Suffolk has been so slow out of the blocks."

Felixstowe is currently the largest container port in the UK, and rose in prominence after taking business from Liverpool and Southampton in the 1970s and 1980s, but Mr Ling fears that history may repeat itself at Suffolk's expense.

He added: "What goes around, comes around - we stole the business of London and Liverpool and Southampton and put the Port of Felixstowe on the map.

"We have been in an unassailable position for 40 years but if you don't move with the times you get trampled on, and now the future might be elsewhere."