UK PORTS ARE STEERING A COURSE TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY

The pandemic has highlighted the critical role of the ports sector in maintaining essential trade flows for food, consumer goods and medical supplies. Close collaboration between industry and government is now essential to unlock investment and drive the economic recovery in the year ahead. Keeping Britain Trading

Associated British Ports (ABP) is the UK’s largest port owner and operator, with 21 ports around Britain handling £150 billion of trade every year. ABP is investing to provide businesses and manufacturers across Britain with access to growing global markets. This investment includes £50 million to increase capacity at the container terminals in Hull and Immingham to provide greater trade resilience for the UK and support traders concerned about potential disruption at ports in the South East.

The provision of new border checking infrastructure is a priority for the industry, and is vital to safeguard important trade flows with Europe. Increased Government investment into road and rail links to ports is critical to remove bottlenecks and boost connectivity to international gateways. Major transport infrastructure projects such as HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will increase capacity and access on the rail network for passengers and freight, while further support to encourage modal shift to rail freight and coastal shipping is also needed to reduce emissions in the supply chain.

Catalysts for growth

The UK’s ports offer ideal locations for new industrial development. Freeports can further enhance the potential of ports to drive economic activity and decarbonisation by attracting new inward investment in renewable energy hubs and port-centric manufacturing. Combined with coordinated investment in infrastructure, the policy has the potential to create quality, high-skilled and long-term jobs in ports and coastal communities.

ABP’s ports on the Humber, in Southampton and in South Wales, are well placed to turn this ambition into a reality, turning already busy gateways for international trade into beacons of economic resurgence.

Renewable energy clusters

While supporting the sustainable growth of trade and economic rebalancing, ports also have a central role in delivering shared objectives on decarbonisation. Ports are already at the forefront of the offshore wind sector, from manufacturing and assembly to installation and operations and maintenance. An ambitious strategy backed by a long-term programme of government support can help to unlock private sector investment and accelerate the delivery of additional capacity for the sector, creating export opportunities and making the UK a global leader in the sector.

ABP is committed to working with partners in industry and government to further the development of ports and terminals into low-carbon hubs, helping to build the sustainable supply chains of the future.