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 Sept 2023 to Feb 2025 (18months)
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
EXTENSION 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 for a further six-month period.
This revised model aims to better align operational performance with the programme's sustainability targets, encouraging consistent rail share growth.
Revisions
During the initial trial period to 30 Sept 2025, the MSP Incentive was £70 per laden import container.
From 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026, the MSP incentive will be set to £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 new Performance-Based Disbursement (PBD) of £20 per import laden container moved by rail within the MSP Incentive zone will be paid out to Rail Freight Terminal Operators (RFTO) and passed onto the Freight Operating Companies.
The PBD will be paid out in April 2026 for the period 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026.
The MSP Incentive Zone is approximately 140 miles from Southampton, which includes the intermodal railheads at:
Avonmouth;
Birmingham Hams Hall;
Birmingham (BIFT);
Birch Coppice;
Birmingham Landor Street;
East Midlands Gateway;
Bristol;
Cardiff;
Daventry;
Northampton;
DP World London Gateway;
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
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
Avonmouth, Birmingham (Landor Street), Cardiff, Daventry
Destinations beyond the incentive zone:
Trafford Park, Barry Dock, Liverpool, Coatbridge, Leeds
MARITIME - [email protected]
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
Birmingham (Birch Coppice), East Midlands Gateway
Destinations beyond the incentive zone:
Wakefield, Trafford Park (MNC)
GB RAILFREIGHT - [email protected]
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
Birmingham (Hams Hall)
Destinations beyond the incentive zone:
Manchester, iPort (Rossington), Widnes
DP World UK Rail - [email protected]
Destinations within MSP incentive Zone:
London Gateway, Portbury (Bristol)
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
MORE INFORMATION
We recognise that for many organisations, this marks the beginning of a new journey - one that may require changes to existing internal processes and engagement strategies.
To support your internal discussions with colleagues, as well as external conversations with clients and stakeholders, we have developed a suite of additional resources and guidance materials. These tools are designed to help build understanding, facilitate planning, and empower informed decision-making throughout your organisation.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
What is the DP World Modal Shift Programme and how does it work?
Our 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 CO₂e emissions.
Which routes and ports are included in DP World's Modal Shift Programme?
The MSP Incentive Zone extends approximately 140 miles from Southampton, including railheads such as Avonmouth, Birmingham (Hams Hall, BIFT, Landor Street), East Midlands Gateway, Bristol, Cardiff, Daventry, Northampton, DP World London Gateway, and Portbury. Participating freight forwarders and rail operators, including Freightliner, Maritime, GB Railfreight, DP World Rail, and N&W, facilitate seamless container movements, enabling importers to shift more cargo from road to sustainable rail transport.
What are the benefits of joining the Modal Shift Programme?
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 February 2025, our programme helped transfer over 103,000 truck journeys to rail, reducing 28,200 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.
OUR OTHER DECARBONISATION PROGRAMMES
The Modal Shift Programme is part of DP World’s broader push to decarbonise all operations, including investment in all-electric equipment and modal shift initiatives in the UK. Globally, DP World is committed to cutting absolute emissions by 42% by 2030.