Felixstow Container Haulage to and from Colchester

Colchester Road Haulage provides fast and reliable container haulage to and from Felixstowe - serving Essex, Suffolk, East Anglia and across the United Kingdom.

• Secure
• Specialised
• Timely

Felixstowe Container Haulage in Colchester

Felixstowe is the UK's busiest container port, and for businesses in Colchester and across Essex it is close enough that most collections are a short run up the A12 and A14. We collect import containers from Felixstowe and deliver them to warehouses, factories and yards across Essex and beyond, and we take export and empty containers back to the port. The work runs to the port's booking system and the shipping line's deadlines, so planning matters as much as driving.

Every movement runs under a goods vehicle operator licence, with weights checked against UK road limits before the box is collected. A heavy container that is fine on a ship can be too heavy for some road combinations, so we ask for the gross weight at the start.

Imports from Felixstowe

Once your shipping agent or forwarder confirms the container is released, we book a collection slot at the terminal, collect the box and deliver it to your premises at the agreed time. Tell us the container number, size, gross weight, delivery address and any delivery booking you have with the receiving site. If the goods are being unloaded by your own team at the delivery address, let us know how long you need, so we can plan whether the driver waits or drops the container and returns later where that is possible.

Exports and empty returns

For exports, we collect the empty from the depot or port, deliver it to you for loading, then take the loaded box back to Felixstowe in time for the vessel cut-off. For empty returns, we collect from your site and return the container before the shipping line's free days end, so you avoid extra charges. If you are juggling several containers, send us the list with the deadlines and we will plan the order.

Beyond the port

Not every container ends up on a warehouse dock. Containers going to farms, building sites or storage yards often need lifting off rather than unloading at a bay. Our container haulage in Colchester covers those deliveries, and a HIAB crane lorry can set a 10ft or 20ft box down where there is no forklift.

What to send us

A Felixstowe collection goes smoothly when we have the right details early. For an import, that means the container number, the size and type, the gross weight from the shipping documents, the shipping line, and confirmation of release from your agent. For an export, we need the booking reference, the vessel and its cut-off, and the address where the container will be loaded. In both cases, tell us the opening hours at your site, whether you need a delivery booking, and anything that limits access such as a height barrier, a narrow gate or a weight limit on an internal road. If the container needs to be dropped and left, check that your site has room for it. With all of that in hand, we can book the terminal slot and plan the run without last-minute calls.

Out of gauge cargo

Flat racks and open top containers sometimes carry cargo that is wider or taller than a standard box, such as machinery, vehicles or steelwork. If the load overhangs the container's sides, it may count as an abnormal load once it is on the road. Our abnormal load transport in Essex handles the notices and routing for those movements.

How much does haulage from Felixstowe cost?

A recent Felixstowe job booked through us, and what it cost:

• £1,100: two full loads collected in Felixstowe and delivered to Sutton, south London (March 2026)

That is the real price for that job, quoted for illustration and holding as a guide this month (October 2026). Runs from Felixstowe to Colchester and the rest of north Essex are shorter and usually cost less. Fuel prices, the container, the destination and any waiting time will set your own price. Prices exclude VAT.

Areas covered

We run Felixstowe collections and returns for businesses across Colchester, Ipswich, Chelmsford, Braintree, Witham, Clacton, Harlow, Basildon and Southend, and to delivery addresses throughout the UK.

Why use us for Felixstowe container haulage

• Close to the port, so collections fit around your delivery slots
• Gross weights checked against road limits before collection
• Imports, exports and empty returns planned around free days and cut-offs
• HIAB delivery for sites without a forklift
• A clear price for each movement

Frequently asked questions

Do you clear containers through customs?

No. Customs clearance is handled by your shipping agent or forwarder. We collect once the container has been released.

What happens if the container is too heavy?

Some containers are loaded to weights that are legal at sea but too heavy for a standard road vehicle. We check the gross weight before collection and tell you if a different vehicle is needed.

Can you collect at short notice?

Sometimes, depending on terminal slots and vehicle availability. Contact us as soon as your container is released.

Can you return empty containers for us?

Yes. We collect the empty from your site and take it back to the port or the depot named by the shipping line, ahead of the free day deadline.

Do you deliver containers from Felixstowe to homes or farms?

Yes. For addresses with no forklift, we can deliver by HIAB and set the container down, subject to access and ground conditions.

Get a quote for Felixstowe container haulage

Send the container details, the release date and the delivery address. We will confirm the collection plan and the price. Call us or use the contact form.