A new daily rail service has been introduced at Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe.

The new service is operated by GB Railfreight and connects the UK's largest container port with Wakefield in Yorkshire.

The new service is the 13th operated by GB Railfreight and the 12th daily rail connection to destinations in Yorkshire.

Commenting on the latest addition to the port's roster of rail services, Chris Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at the Port of Felixstowe, said: "Expanding the number of rail services available to importers and exporters from the port is one of our key objectives.

"The Port of Felixstowe is the Northern Powerhouse's major container gateway and approximately 50% of traffic between Felixstowe and the North moves by rail. Increasing the number of services is good for the port, good for our customers and good for the environment.

"With three dedicated rail terminals at the port we offer more rail services to more inland destinations with greater frequency than any other UK port."

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, added: "I am thrilled to see the beginning of this new service. We are extremely proud to be able to continue our work with the Port of Felixstowe to deliver first-class service, which demonstrates sustained growth for our companies and shows an inherent trust in our long-standing partnership.

"Our growth in intermodal shows GBRf's dedication to innovation, offering flexible door-to-door solutions that meet our customer's needs, as well as a consistently reliable service."

The train will initially comprise of a mix of wagon types, including two Eco Triples, two Q8s and eleven IKA Twins. The combination of a variety of wagons is significant, as it allows for enhanced flexibility, maximising the number of boxes that can be carried to better satisfy consumer demand and make more effective use of overall capacity.

Other destinations served by rail from the Port of Felixstowe are: Glasgow, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Teesport, Birmingham, Birch Coppice, Doncaster, East Midlands Gateway, Hams Hall, Wakefield, Ditton (Widnes), Rotherham, iPort Rossington and Cardiff.