News / Not a very merry Xmas for importers as ships cut and run from UK ports

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Vessel diversions eased congestion at the UK’s container port hubs this week, but much of the cargo discharged at Rotterdam, Antwerp and Zeebrugge will struggle to reach vital Christmas markets.

Ocean carriers have skipped a number of UK calls in the past few weeks, and been obliged to “cut and run” due to slow working on ships that did get alongside.

“I don’t know what’s worse,” said a forwarder at Felixstowe, “having our boxes stranded in Antwerp or having randomly split shipments ...