Britain sees declining transportation as recession continues

• Source: Xinhua
• [09:14 May 13 2009]
• Comments

By Rob Welham and Dongying Wang

LONDON, May 12 (Xinhua) -- As the economic downturn continues in Britain and around the world, the effects are being seen in the transportation system.

Shipping is slowing down, road haulage is falling, and car sales are dropping significantly.

SHIPS SITTING OUT

Signs are not good at the river Fal in Cornwall in southwest England, which has been historically seen as a barometer of world trade.

Local harbor master Captain Andy Brigden said that "when the estuary is empty, trade is buoyant; but when it is full, things are tough."

Dozens of cargo ships have begun to fill the Fal estuary as global trade dries up. It is simply cheaper to moor the huge vessels in Britain's waterways than to have them waiting for orders out at sea.

One of the ships that have sought sanctuary in the estuary is the 30,000-tonne Santa Giovanna cargo vessel. Last week the 182-meter-long ship joined several others in the river, and the captain Brigden has been inundated with enquiries from other companies looking to lay up their cargo vessels.

Some have sought to lay up their ships for up to a year, while others are seeking only temporary escape from an uncertain economy.

The harbor authorities are likely to make large sums of money from shipping firms as they charge up to 800 pounds (1,160 U.S. dollars) per week, but many locals are unhappy that the vessels are spoiling their view.

However, the use of the estuary as a temporary harbor is something that has occurred several times in the last few decades. Recessions in the 1970s and 1980s saw large numbers of ships seeking refuge from the economic turmoil.