DP WORLD UK
MODAL SHIFT
PROGRAMME
More rail. Less C02 emissions.
MORE SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS
WHAT IS THE
MODAL SHIFT
PROGRAMME?
The Modal Shift Programme trial was introduced on September 1, 2023 to help increase the financial attractiveness of rail for import laden containers.
The Programme encourages cargo owners to use rail instead of road transport for onward movement from DP World Southampton, to accelerate owner and operator net zero ambitions.
REACHING NET ZERO
A CLEAR ROADMAP
TO DECARBONISATION
The UK has committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
To achieve this, we actively need to start looking at more sustainable modes of transport.
With the potential to prevent an estimated 30,000 metric tonnes of C02e being emitted per year, a financial incentive for imports routed by rail is paid for by a relatively small charge on all import laden containers coming through DP World Southampton.
PROGRAMME SUCCESS
from launch (September 2023 to March 2026)
This is a unique programme that sits at the heart of DP World’s ambition to offer market leading, more sustainable options to our supply chain partners in the UK.
Reaching the groundbreaking milestone of an additional 100,000 containers moved by rail rather than road is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team to make the Modal Shift Programme trial the success it is now.
EXPANDING OUTCOMES
CONTINUATION INTO 2026 & REVISED INCENTIVES
Through a combination of detailed analysis, customer engagement and responding to new market trends, we have further refined the programme and set our sights on continued growth in the share of rail freight for the onward journeys all containers make after arriving at Southampton.
Objective
Since inception, the MSP Incentive has fluctuated between £100 and £50 in line with rail share uptake and to match the income of the scheme.
However, the average rail share percentage hasn’t consistently exceeded 30% which is considered critical for long-term sustainability and justification of continued investment in modal shift initiatives.
Therefore, further incentivisation is required to help achieve this goal.
Extension
Effective 1 October 2025, a revised incentive structure was introduced and will remain in place until 30 September 2026.
This revised model aims to better align operational performance with the programme's sustainability targets, encouraging consistent rail share growth.
Revisions
During the period 1 October 2025 to 30 June 2026, the MSP Incentive was changed to £50 per import-laden container within the MSP incentive zone, payable to the clearing agents.
From 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026, the MSP incentive will remain at £50 per import-laden container within the MSP Incentive zone, payable to the clearing agents.
The MSP fee will remain unchanged at £10, which will be collected per import-laden container.
Disbursement
A Performance-Based Disbursement (PBD) of £20 per import-laden container moved by rail within the MSP Incentive zone will apply to Rail Freight Terminal Operators (RFTOs) for the period 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2026.
If the RFTOs individually achieve their number of railed container targets in each quarter, a PBD of £20 will apply.
The PBD must be passed on to the Freight Operating Companies.
The MSP Incentive Zone is approximately 140 miles from Southampton, which includes the intermodal railheads at:
Avonmouth;
Barry Docks;
Birmingham Hams Hall;
Birmingham (BIFT);
Birch Coppice;
Birmingham Landor Street;
East Midlands Gateway;
Bristol;
Cardiff;
Daventry;
London Gateway;
Northampton;
Portbury.
RAIL LOGISTICS AT DP WORLD
BOOK NOW
AND GET YOUR
LOGISTICS ON TRACK
Rail bookings can be made via the options alongside.
For further information or assistance, contact us.
Rail freight operators
FREIGHTLINER - [email protected]
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
Avonmouth, Birmingham (Landor Street), Cardiff, Daventry
Destinations beyond the incentive zone:
Trafford Park, Barry Dock, Liverpool, Coatbridge, Leeds
GB RAILFREIGHT - [email protected]
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
Birmingham (Hams Hall)
Destinations beyond the incentive zone:
iPort (Rossington), Manchester, Mossend, Rotherham
MARITIME - [email protected]
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
Birmingham (Birch Coppice), East Midlands Gateway
Destinations beyond the incentive zone:
Trafford Park (MNC)
N&W - [email protected]
Rotherham
Shipping lines
Contact the import customer service team for the shipping line operating your import container.
ACL - aclcargo.com
CMA CGM - cma-cgm.com
COSCO - lines.coscoshipping.com/home
Hapag Lloyd - hapag-lloyd.com
HMM - hmm21.com
ICL - icl-ltd.com
OOCL - oocl.com
ONE - one-line.com
Maersk - maersk.com
MSC - msc.com
Yang Ming - yangming.co.uk
Freight forwarders
Many freight forwarders can book import containers by rail.
Contact your freight forwarder to review your options.
BIFA - bifa.org
FIATA - fiata.org
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
What is the Modal Shift Programme?
Introduced on 1st September 2023, the Modal Shift Programme (MSP) encourages import cargo owners to move containers by rail instead of road from DP World Southampton, reducing carbon emissions and supporting net-zero goals. Participants benefit from financial incentives for each import container transported by rail within the MSP Incentive Zone, which covers key intermodal railheads across the UK. The programme helps prevent thousands of truck journeys, lowering road congestion and cutting supply chain CO₂ emissions.
Find out more in our full MSP FAQs document.
Why are you continuing the Modal Shift Programme at DP World Southampton?
Following the success of the MSP Trial at DP World Southampton, we continue to refine the incentive model to support sustainable logistics and encourage greater rail modal shift. DP World Southampton can help connect transport modes and provide customers with choice on inland shipment routing. The programme will help cargo owners and UK industry meet net zero carbon reduction aspirations.
What are the environmental benefits and savings?
A typical import container from Southampton to Birmingham could save as much as 250 kgs of CO2 routed by rail/road, rather than road alone.
By moving containers by rail through the MSP, cargo owners can significantly reduce scope 3 emissions, avoid road congestion, and achieve measurable environmental impact. From September 2023 to March 2026, our programme helped transfer over 190,600 truck journeys to rail, removed over 15 million road miles, reducing 44,800 tonnes of CO₂e and enabling more sustainable logistics. Financial incentives, combined with access to DP World’s intermodal rail services, make rail a cost-effective, low-carbon alternative to road transport.