The Solent Rail Terminal has recorded more than 55,000 containers handled since opening following the multi-million-pound upgrade that was completed six months ago at the Port of Southampton.
Terminal operator Solent Stevedores has seen an increase in containers entering and leaving the UK port via rail compared to the same period in the previous year taking approximately 16,000 lorries off the road in the last six months.
The rail freight terminal underwent a significant upgrade in partnership with Associated British Ports (ABP) that was completed in March this year. The project was driven by a need to encourage cargo off the road and onto rail, contributing towards improving the local air quality and the Department for Transport’s target to be Net Zero by 2050.
Mark Hooper, Director of Containers and Rail at Solent Stevedores, stated, “The updated Solent Rail Terminal has been a key milestone in responding to the Government’s target to reach Net Zero by 2050. Not only are we meeting the current demand for moving cargo by rail but we have the capacity to accommodate future increases in demand.”
The newly expanded 18-acre site is linked to the existing intermodal rail site offering laden and empty container handling, storage, maintenance and repair in a single-site boundary. The Maintenance and Repair team onsite has completed over 8,000 repairs to reefer containers and dry vans at this time.
A spokesperson for GAC Pindar, a customer of Solent Stevedores, said: “Having the Solent Stevedores Terminal on our doorstep has been invaluable for us over the last few months. Their flexibility and reactivity alongside their prime location within the docks means they are our first choice when it comes to complex event cargo coming in and out of Southampton.”
