A contract will be awarded today for the latest phase of expansion at Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe. VolkerFitzpatrick Limited will be appointed to undertake the design and construction of approximately 13 hectares of paved container yard directly behind Berth 9. The work will include the reclamation of 3.2 hectares of seabed behind the existing finger pier. Commenting on the latest development, Clemence Cheng, Executive Director, Hutchison Ports, said: “Berths 8&9 were the first berths in the UK built to accommodate the latest class of ultra-large container vessels. The creation of additional container storage will allow us to optimise container handling operations between the berth and its supporting yard and further enhance the service we offer to our customers.” Completion of the new container yard, which will comprise ten container blocks and allow 6-high stacking, is scheduled for early 2019. The yard will add 18,000 TEU of stacking capacity to the 130,000 TEU already available at the UK’s largest container port. The work will further enhance Felixstowe’s ability to handle the world’s largest container ships. The port was the first in the UK to handle the latest class of 18,000+ TEU ships in 2013 and continues to handle more than any other port in the country. On 14 September 2017 the port handled its 100th mega vessel of the year when the  18,270 TEU Matz Maersk arrived at the port from Bremerhaven.