Specifically, the first ICL vessel arrived at DP World Southampton on July 25.
The arrival of the 2,546 TEU vessel Independent Spirit marked a departure for the privately owned shipping line which had previously called at Liverpool, UK, for the last 20 years. In the meantime, the company's weekly service will shift from a Thursday PM arrival and Friday AM departure.
The managing partners noted that the adverse weather conditions in the North Atlantic caused delays to its service each winter and assured their customers that this change will bring improved reliability to their own supply chains.
Independent Container Line Managing Partners John Kirkland and Dale Ross commented
We have planned and coordinated various intermodal options that will allow your cargo to be picked up and delivered at the same award winning intermodal service levels and your local ICL representative will be in touch with you to ensure a seamless transition as we change our UK port of call.
Concluding, in the US, ICL calls at Chester, Pennsylvania, Wilmington, North Carolina, and then onto Southampton, UK and Antwerp, Belgium with four ships on a 28 day rotation providing a weekly service.
