Coastlink

Coastlink is a neutral pan European (members organisation) dedicated to the promotion of short sea and feeder container shipping - an integral element in a competitive supply chain.

Coastlink's origins lie with a conference held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in May 2004. Initiated by Cheslin and co-founder Gavin Roser, it had set out to establish whether there was any potential for an East Coast UK shortsea shipping service carrying both domestic traffic and deepsea feeder containers. What emerged from the discussions was that while transferring domestic traffic to shortsea shipping services was not really viable given the current low cost of road transport, the deepsea carriers were desperately seeking solutions to UK port congestion. Delegates encouraged further discussion and as the months passed by, congestion in Rotterdam, Antwerp and Hamburg also became an issue.

Coastlink's strength is that it brings together ports, carriers, logistics specialists and shippers and encourages them to talk together with a view to establishing commercial joint ventures.

For more information about Coastlink, contact davidcheslin@coastlink.co.uk www.coastlink.co.uk