Bristol Port has received a first shipment of Mazda cars from Japan after the manufacturer chose it for its new direct 海角视频 import route.

Mooring at Bristol鈥檚 Royal Portbury Dock last Monday (March 28), the NOCC Atlantic delivered 2,355 cars to Mazda鈥檚 new automotive port handling centre within the Bristol Port Company estate.

The opening shipment is the first time Mazda 海角视频 has imported directly to these shores, and sees Bristol Port become Mazda鈥檚 fourth port of entry in Europe, joining Barcelona, Antwerp and Zeebrugge.

Prior to its investment in Bristol Port, Mazda previously imported cars to Zeebrugge and then distributed them into regional hubs in the 海角视频.

Mazda鈥檚 new Bristol compound facility provides capacity for over 8,000 vehicles, as well as a centre for vehicle inspection and preparation.

Over the course of the next 12 months, the new centre will receive a vessel every 10 days or so with between 1,000-1,200 cars on board.

Mazda said it had chosen to partner with Bristol Port on its new direct 海角视频 route due to its 鈥渆xcellence in 海角视频 automotive port handling鈥.

Mazda Motors 海角视频, sales director, Peter Allibon, said: 鈥淭his new direct Japan to 海角视频 operation will bring significant benefits to our dealers and customers. Our dealers will have access to a much wider stock choice within our new central compound, which ultimately provides an optimised logistics journey to support customer choice and delivery times.

鈥淥ur new 海角视频 compound will allow for a wider range of available stock with a 10-14 day delivery window to a dealership, which will optimise the customer experience with better choice and faster post production delivery times.鈥

All Mazda 海角视频 production comes from the firm鈥檚 plants in Hiroshima, Miyoshi and Hofu plants. The company said the new Japan to the 海角视频 shipping logistics route would remove the risk of delays arising from Europe to 海角视频 transit, such as disruption at the Channel Tunnel or ferry issues.

In addition, Mazda said its new Mazda 2 Hybrid model, which is built in France, will begin arriving in Bristol later in the spring, shipping from Zeebrugge, Belgium on a regular basis.

The Bristol Port Company鈥檚 automotive trade director Tony Dent, said the port was 鈥渄elighted鈥 to have been selected by Mazda as its sole import centre into the 海角视频.

Mr Dent said: 鈥淲ith our first direct shipment of Mazda vehicles having been discharged at Portbury Dock, we look forward to establishing an ongoing and successful association with Mazda. As the main 海角视频 port for cars from the Far East, Bristol Port is in a prime position to provide the ideal logistics solution鈥.

Bristol Port handles the import of over half a million vehicles a year.

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