THE Port of Felixstowe has celebrated the launch of its 29th daily rail freight service.

The new route, operated by GB Railfreight and running to Barton Dock, Manchester, five days a week, is a direct result of the port’s investment in new facilities at its South Rail Terminal which has included the creation of new sidings, track re-laying, and the purchase of two new state-of-the-art rail mounted gantry cranes.

Rail facilities at Felixstowe are to be further improved in 2012 with the construction of a third rail terminal at the port’s Trinity Terminal. The new terminal, to be co-financed by the European Union’s Trans European Network budget, will be the first in the UK designed to accommodate longer, 30-wagon, freight trains.

David Gledhill, chief executive of Hutchison Ports (UK) which owns the Port of Felixstowe, said: “An increasing number of our customers are choosing rail as a more environmentally friendly alternative, and we have worked closely with GB Railfreight and other train operating companies to ensure there is an unrivalled choice of destination and frequency of services from Felixstowe.

“The Port of Felixstowe offers the most comprehensive intermodal rail coverage of any UK port, with 10 daily services to the North West, 10 to the Midlands, six to Yorkshire terminals and others to Scotland, London, the North East and the West Country, and the addition of this train further enhances our position at the top of the market.”