THE Port of Felixstowe has won the top award at the Rail Freight Group’s annual awards for the second time in three years.

The port was named overall Business of the Year at the award ceremony in Oxford, where it also claimed the Customer Care award.

The Business of the Year Award reflects the port’s programme of expenditure in new and improved facilities, and its record in responding to the changing commercial requirements of its customers.

David Gledhill, chief executive of Hutchison Ports (UK), which owns the Port of Felixstowe, said: “Winning this award for the second time in only three years is clear evidence that the focus we place on rail operations is being translated into improved levels of customer service.

“Rail volumes through the port continue to grow as a result of our commitment to continually improve rail facilities, and of the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in rail operations at the port.

“We have recently completed an extensive investment programme to improve facilities and capacity at the South Rail Terminal including re-laying track, creating new sidings and purchasing two new rail gantry cranes. This will allow us to increase the number of daily rail services from the port from 28 to 30 over the next few months.”

The port currently operates two open-access, common-user rail terminals and in 2012 will construct an all-new third rail terminal.

Co-financed by the European Union from the Trans-European network budget, the new terminal will double rail capacity on the port and will be the first terminal in the UK designed and built to accommodate longer, 30-wagon, trains.

Mr Gledhill added: “Running longer trains will allow us to increase capacity by up to 25% without running any additional trains. This will ease the pressure of growth on the network and enable more containers to move by rail.”

Rail freight services at Felixstowe are offered by Freightliner, GB Railfreight and DB Schenker to a total of 15 destinations around the country.