ALMOST GBP1.5 billion (US$2.05 billion) of goods being imported into the UK will be hit by shipping delays in the run-up to Christmas if the backlog at Felixstowe continues until the festive season, research has suggested, reports UK's The Guardian.
Clothing imports would be most affected by congestion at ports, the analysis by the risk modelling company Russell Group found, including products shipped to the UK from Asia by some of the high street's best-known brands.
Retailers including Asda, Tesco, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer are estimated to be among the most exposed to the port disruption, as they import large amounts of clothing.
Russell Group said clothing worth GBP46.2 million imported by the supermarket chain Asda could be affected by the port delays. For Tesco the figure was GBP33.7 million, and for John Lewis and M&S it was more than GBP29.3 million each.
The analysis was based on 10 weeks of trade between October 12 and Christmas Day and was modelled on 2020 figures. It came as large shipping companies reported having to divert some of their biggest vessels away from Felixstowe - Britain's largest container port - to dock on the continent instead.
There are delays for large ships docking at Felixstowe, which handles about 40 per cent of containers coming in and out of the UK, while goods are taking longer to leave the port to continue their journey to customers owing to a backlog of containers caused by a shortage of HGV drivers.
The world's largest container shipping company, the Danish firm AP Moller-Maersk, called Felixstowe one of its biggest global challenges on account of the congestion.
The problems at the Suffolk port, which also became gridlocked in late 2020, have come at the start of the busiest period of the year for shipping firms and ports, with retailers importing higher quantities of goods from east Asia to sell during the crucial Christmas trading season.
Maersk said congestion at Felixstowe had been building for the past two weeks, meaning the company had to dock as many as one in three of its large vessels at continental ports instead, including Rotterdam.
In addition, the average time a shipping container spends in the port - known as the 'dwell time' - has doubled from four-and-a-half days in 2020 to nine days.
Logistics industry analysts said congestion at ports meant delays and higher costs for consumers and businesses. This is especially problematic in Britain, where about 90 per cent of imports arrive by sea.
However, Felixstowe has reported that congestion has been easing in recent days and it had more space for import containers than at any time since the start of July.
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Clothing imports would be most affected by congestion at ports, the analysis by the risk modelling company Russell Group found, including products shipped to the UK from Asia by some of the high street's best-known brands.
Retailers including Asda, Tesco, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer are estimated to be among the most exposed to the port disruption, as they import large amounts of clothing.
Russell Group said clothing worth GBP46.2 million imported by the supermarket chain Asda could be affected by the port delays. For Tesco the figure was GBP33.7 million, and for John Lewis and M&S it was more than GBP29.3 million each.
The analysis was based on 10 weeks of trade between October 12 and Christmas Day and was modelled on 2020 figures. It came as large shipping companies reported having to divert some of their biggest vessels away from Felixstowe - Britain's largest container port - to dock on the continent instead.
There are delays for large ships docking at Felixstowe, which handles about 40 per cent of containers coming in and out of the UK, while goods are taking longer to leave the port to continue their journey to customers owing to a backlog of containers caused by a shortage of HGV drivers.
The world's largest container shipping company, the Danish firm AP Moller-Maersk, called Felixstowe one of its biggest global challenges on account of the congestion.
The problems at the Suffolk port, which also became gridlocked in late 2020, have come at the start of the busiest period of the year for shipping firms and ports, with retailers importing higher quantities of goods from east Asia to sell during the crucial Christmas trading season.
Maersk said congestion at Felixstowe had been building for the past two weeks, meaning the company had to dock as many as one in three of its large vessels at continental ports instead, including Rotterdam.
In addition, the average time a shipping container spends in the port - known as the 'dwell time' - has doubled from four-and-a-half days in 2020 to nine days.
Logistics industry analysts said congestion at ports meant delays and higher costs for consumers and businesses. This is especially problematic in Britain, where about 90 per cent of imports arrive by sea.
However, Felixstowe has reported that congestion has been easing in recent days and it had more space for import containers than at any time since the start of July.
SeaNews Turkey