by Manal Barakat, SeaNewsEditor

Last week, the UK and Ireland were hit by Storm Éowyn, which was described as one of the most powerful storms the region has experienced.

The storm's high wind speeds resulted in significant damage to infrastructure, widespread power cuts, and severe travel disruptions. Tragically, two people lost their lives due to falling trees.

Major ports, including Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton, and Grangemouth, were forced to cease operations.

Rail terminals and container depots in Doncaster, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Pentalver Cannock, Southampton, and London Gateway also closed, further exacerbating the disruption to transport and logistics.

Over the weekend, the UK's Met Office issued new weather warnings for wind and rain across most of England and Wales as Storm Herminia approaches.

With wind gusts reaching up to 130kmph in the southeast, dozens of flights at Heathrow have already been cancelled. Additionally, the Environment Agency has issued over 50 flood warnings, primarily for the south-west.

Meanwhile, Maersk reported today that extreme weather conditions are expected in the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay over the coming days.

The Danish carrier expects the storm to severely impact vessel movements and port operations, potentially causing delays to vessels bound for South Africa and those sailing north to Rotterdam and London.