TRADE & SHIPPING UPDATE · October 24, 2026
London Gateway empty returns suspended: check instructions before dispatch
For China-to-UK importers with equipment returning through London Gateway, the immediate planning issue is the empty-container handback. A Maersk notice dated October 23 reports a restriction on empty acceptance; buyers should obtain current return instructions before sending a truck.
1. What Maersk announced on October 23
Maersk says London Gateway stopped accepting empty containers at 12:00 on October 23, 2026, until further notice. Its advisory asks hauliers to check MATS Online before dispatch. It names Pentalver London Gateway, Tilbury and Southampton as possible alternatives only where MATS Online directs the return, subject to weather and available space.
The carrier expected disruption through the weekend. That is an expectation, not a confirmed reopening time. The notice concerns empty-container acceptance; it does not establish a closure of all port operations or a cancellation of China-to-UK sailings.
Maersk: London Gateway empty-container advisory, October 23, 2026
2. Buyer analysis: separate delivery from equipment return
Confirm separately whether your loaded import container can be collected, when it can be unloaded and where its empty unit is authorized to return. Ask the forwarder or haulier for the latest dated instruction, container number, nominated depot, opening hours and any booking requirement. Do not treat an alternative location mentioned in a public notice as a reservation for your container.
Keep the equipment handback deadline and any applicable charges visible in the shipment record. Ask the provider to confirm how the disruption affects your specific booking and whether any adjustment applies. Do not assume a waiver or change a return location without confirmation.
3. A practical handover record
Illustrative example: a receiver has finished unloading but the driver still holds an earlier London Gateway return instruction. Before dispatch, the coordinator obtains the current nominated depot and confirms availability with the transport provider. Save the revised instruction and the eventual equipment interchange receipt with the container record.
Record who checks the next update and when. If a return cannot proceed, retain the dated instruction, attempted booking and provider response so that subsequent cost discussions have a clear timeline. These are operational suggestions, not a determination of liability.
4. Today’s action for China buyers
Review affected UK deliveries with the destination team before committing truck movements. MORENICE can help coordinate supplier and shipping information from China; destination arrangements and any extra costs should be confirmed with the responsible providers.