Brits could face gaps on shelves this Christmas as toys and electrical goods are diverted away from the UK’s biggest port due to congestion.
Shipping bosses are sending vessels away from Felixstowe in Suffolk after it ran out of space amid a shortage of HGV drivers. The port deals with around 36% of the country’s imports and exports.
Danish shipping giant AP Moller-Maersk has warned the crisis could continue into the New Year, with the company recently forced to redirect one ship a week out of two or three.
They are travelling to continental ports like Rotterdam and Antwerp, where cargo is loaded onto smaller vessels to dock at other British ports – when space allows.
A spokesperson for Felixstowe said the situation had improved over the last few days, but shipping bosses have cautioned it is the ‘perfect storm’ for shortages over the festive season.
It’s believed ministers have been warned stock levels of toys, electronics, bikes and homeware items could be impacted, sparking fears for Christmas presents.
One shipping boss told The Times: ‘I don’t want to sound like a Grinch but there are going to be gaps on shelves this Christmas.’
It comes after the shortage of HGV drivers spurred fuel shortages and amid rising gas prices, with four more companies ‘set to collapse’.
Conservative Party Co-Chair Oliver Dowden admitted there is a ‘challenging problem’ when questioned on the supply chain disaster this morning.
He told Sky News: ’Well, first of all, it is worth noting that Felixstowe authorities have said this morning that the situation is improving, which is welcome news.
‘There is, clearly, a challenging problem, particularly with HGV drivers – and not just here, it’s across Europe, Poland, US, even China has this challenge.
‘That’s why we’ve been taking steps to address it, whether it is training 5,000 more HGV drivers, making the process more flexible, we’re working through these challenges to address them.
‘I know it’s a worrying time for your viewers and they’ll be concerned by the reports, but I want to assure them the Government is very much getting on with the job of addressing these challenges.’
The most recent figures show only 127 people have applied for a temporary visa scheme designed to stabilise the crisis, as foreign lorry drivers insist they ‘won’t help UK out of the s**t they created’.
A spokesman for Felixstowe said: ‘The vast majority of import containers are cleared for collection within minutes of arriving and there are over 1,000 unused haulier bookings most days.
‘However, the situation is improving and there is more spare space for import containers this week, than at any time since the beginning of July, when supply chain impacts first started to bite.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMidGh0dHBzOi8vbWV0cm8uY28udWsvMjAyMS8xMC8xMy9mZWxpeHN0b3dlLWRyaXZlci1jcmlzaXMtZm9yY2VzLWNhcmdvLXNoaXBzLXRvLWRpdmVydC1mcm9tLXVrcy1iaWdnZXN0LXBvcnQtMTU0MTIwMjcv0gF4aHR0cHM6Ly9tZXRyby5jby51ay8yMDIxLzEwLzEzL2ZlbGl4c3Rvd2UtZHJpdmVyLWNyaXNpcy1mb3JjZXMtY2FyZ28tc2hpcHMtdG8tZGl2ZXJ0LWZyb20tdWtzLWJpZ2dlc3QtcG9ydC0xNTQxMjAyNy9hbXAv?oc=5
2021-10-13 06:52:00Z
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