Empty Container Returns Restricted at London Gateway and Southampton

Empty container returns are currently restricted at DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton, and will remain so until further notice.

The restrictions follow a significant backlog at both terminals. Port closures caused by last week’s storm, and by fog the weekend before, have left the terminals working through a large volume of containers, and space for empty equipment is now very limited.

The knock-on effect is now being felt on the road. With nowhere to return empties, many hauliers have trucks tied up with containers still on the trailer, which is reducing haulage availability across the market. Customers should expect tighter collection and delivery options and, where possible, allow extra flexibility on timings.

Please note that where a container physically cannot be returned because of port restrictions, any detention charges subsequently raised by the shipping line may need to be passed on.

Our team is monitoring the situation closely and will keep you informed if we expect any impact on your shipments. We will take every step we can to minimise delays.

If you have containers moving through London Gateway or Southampton, please contact your Westbound representative to talk through your options. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.