A huge cargo ship stacked sky high with shipping containers from China has left a number of homes on the south coast in darkness.
The MOL Treasure shipping container, which measures 400 metres in length, has arrived at the DP World Container Terminal at the Port of Southampton, bringing goods from China into the UK.
The vessel docked off the coast of England after leaving Yantian on January 2 this year, the Express reports.
According to the latest data, at the container ship port in Southampton, there are currently 14,991 container imports being handled.
At the same time, there are 20,387 containers being exported.
Shipping delays at the end of last year saw concerns that food and toys could run out over Christmas, and experts have warned delays will continue through this year.
Giant containers like this one are resupplying a supply chain in the Uk that has been left depleted.
The lorry driver shortage has contributed to disruption at UK ports.
In December Tim Morris, chief executive officer of the UK Major Ports Group, said that trade ports had become “the jam in the sandwich between surging, volatile shipping and UK supply chains badly impacted by factors such as HGV driver shortages”.
He said: “Ports have taken significant action to respond to the challenges and build resilience.
“They have extended gate opening to 24/7, increased capacity for trucks at peak hours, sought to maximise rail freight usage within the significant constraints of the network, created additional storage space and recruited more people.
“But the pressures are being exacerbated by well-publicised issues impacting all UK supply chains, notably shortages of HGV drivers.
“Ports therefore have to manage access to storage space very dynamically in extreme situations. This can mean some very limited short-term restrictions.
“Ports are committed to working closely with customers and entire supply chains to keep goods moving.”
Retailers have highlighted particular issues in China and east Asia, where pandemic restrictions and poor weather conditions have affected shipping.
