A delegation from the port of Tilbury recently paid a visit to Israel aiming to convince shipping company Zim Integrated Shipping to call at Tilbury instead of Felixstowe.
According to Port2Port, the driving force behind such a visit was German shipping group Hamburg Süd, which uses the Port of Tilbury as one of its main European hubs, mainly to serve Central and South American shipping services.
Felixstowe is one of Zim's UK gateways and has served the port for more than 20 years. However, Yoram Hoffman, managing director of Associated Maritime Agencies, Hamburg Süd's Israeli agent, believes the port of Tilbury has many advantages over Felixstowe, including its proximity to the River Thames, to the M25 motorway and to the UK’s biggest market, London.
Mr Hoffman also noted Tilbury’s dedicated rail and feeder links to all major commercial centres in country, as well as its modern coldstorage facilities.
Shai Babad, general manager, Israel & Near East Area for Zim Integrated Shipping Services, said that moving the company’s Joint Operational Service, a weekly service to the eastern Mediterranean via Limassol, Alexandria, Ashdod and Haifa, from Felixstowe to Tilbury was under consideration.
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