The upgrade comes on the back of long term commitments from a number of cargo owners reflecting the success of the service. The three times a week shuttle between Amsterdam and Tilbury will see a 50% capacity upgrade with the arrival of the Pengalia a 700 TEU vessel scheduled to make her first call in London Container Terminal on the 8^th April. The service will carry cargo including construction materials, bricks, cocoa, foodstuffs and animal foods.

Commenting on the new deal, Ross McKissock, Asset Manager, London Container Terminal said:“It’s great to have secured a further four years with SCS and to be able to support their significant investment into this service.  We already have a successful relationship with SCS who benefit from our location, efficiency and ongoing transportation links to their market in the UK. Today’s announcement follows the news last week that we have also secured Seatrade’s Rapid transit New Zealand and Pacific service – the fastest service from NZ to the UK.”

SCS Multiport’s Anton van Hattem said: “Forth Ports and SCS Multiport have built a strong relationship over the past five years. This joint effort has enabled us to provide a high level of logistic service to our customers. It is time to grow to the next level with bigger volumes, more equipment and another vessel which has an intake that is twice as large as the current vessel.”

Forth ports will be exhibiting at Multimodal this week from 4-6 April at the NEC in Birmingham on stand number 3010.