£4m investment boost for the port of Cardiff
BRITAIN’S biggest ports operator is investing more than £4m into warehouse improvements and handling equipment at the port of Cardiff.
The investment by Associated British Ports (ABP) is designed to support customers in the steel, forest products and other general cargo sectors.
The current investment forms part of a long-term plan to improve the infrastructure and equipment in the port.
The £4m investment includes new warehousing, upgrades to existing warehouses, and new port handling equipment.
Among the new equipment to be installed will be new gantry cranes for warehouses, a materials handler, loading shovel and new forklift trucks,
It’s hoped the upgraded warehouses and new equipment will benefit several steel sector customers who have signed long-term agreements to develop their businesses at the port of Cardiff.
Matthew Kennerley, director of ABP South Wales, said: “We have worked closely with steel sector customers over the past 18 months to best establish how the port can meet the needs of their individual businesses.
“This substantial investment has resulted in these businesses committing to remaining at the port of Cardiff for many years to come.”
In April last year, ABP South Wales took over the stevedoring of steel and general cargo operations at Cardiff from CSL (Cardiff Stevedoring Limited).
Engineering ground work began in June this year and the whole project is due to be completed by the end of 2017. The new equipment is due to be delivered to the port in October.
The port of Cardiff is estimated to support 2,000 jobs and contribute more than £120m to the UK economy every year.
It can accommodate vessels up to 35,000 deadweight tonnage (dwt) and annually handles around 1.7 million tonnes of cargo.
The largest category of cargo by weight is liquid bulks, made up of oil, oil products and liquefied gas, which together accounted for 1.26 million tonnes last year.
Some 71,700 tonnes of steel were handled last year, along with 25,300 tonnes of scrap and 23,700 tonnes of timber.
Aggregates and dry bulks accounted for a further 353,200 tonnes.
ABP owns and operates five ports in south Wales: Newport, Cardiff, Barry, Port Talbot and Swansea.
Port Talbot is the largest, handling around nine million tonnes each year. It is one of the few ports in the UK capable of handling vessels up to 170,000 dwt, and its tidal harbour is mostly used for imports of coking ore, minerals and ore to Port Talbot steel works.
Cardiff is second in size with Newport third, handling around 1.5 million tonnes a year including steel, coal and coke, forest products and other general cargoes.
Swansea handles around 600,000 tonnes a year and Barry 300,000.
ABP also owns land around the ports and has submitted plans for a controversial residential development at Dolffin Quay in Cardiff Bay, which include a 24 storey apartment block along with a cultural quarter, park, play area and commercial space.
The plans have aroused opposition from local residents and city politicians amid concerns over traffic, parking and loss of green space.
In response to the criticism a spokesperson for ABP said: “The views and wishes of local people have been central to shaping our vision for Dolffin Quay.
“As a result of feedback from the community, we’ve made changes to our original plans to increase the size of the new park.
“We have listened carefully to the feedback received from the community during our consultation and have made a number of changes as a result.
“We will continue to listen and accept feedback over the coming weeks and months.”