Supplied by dealer Orwell Truck & Van, the Felixstowe-based operator’s first 30 Actros are for customer Allport Cargo Services, and are hauling containers from depots in Doncaster, Southampton, and Trafford Park, as well as the Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal.
All 65 are Actros 2545 models with flat-floored BigSpace cabs and 450bhp straight-six engines, driving through PowerShift 3 automated transmissions.
Additional safety features include alarm systems to warn if the driver’s door is opened when the handbrake is off, as well as red seatbelts, in-cab smoke detectors and forward-facing cameras.
The cabs also have microwave ovens, fridges and additional USB sockets.
“We are delighted to be rekindling our association with Mercedes-Benz,” says Alan McNicol, Maritime Transport’s group financial director. “These new tractor units are a great addition to our fleet and our drivers are delighted with their spacious, comfortable cabs.”
Simon Smart, Maritime’s managing director for container transport, adds: “These vehicles will provide Allport with the high level of service they require. By strategically placing them at several of our depots, we’ve given Allport the flexibility they need in the current container market.”
As part of its fleet expansion programme, Maritime Transport has also ordered 200 Dennison sliding skeletal trailers and 100 curtainsiders from Lawrence David, and opened a new depot in Leighton Buzzard.