Associated British Ports

GOOD FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR FOR UK�S NUMBER-ONE PORT
The UK�s number-one port, Associated British Ports� (ABP) Port of Grimsby & Immingham, has enjoyed a good first half of the year, with growth in key trades such as unitised traffic, timber imports, grain exports, coal imports and vehicle imports and exports.

Commenting on the port�s success, John Copping, ABP Port Director, Grimsby & Immingham, said:

�There have been a number of important developments in key trades over the first six months of the year, based on long-term agreements with quality customers. We have a number of important projects in the pipeline, and can look forward to building on our position as the UK�s number-one port over the rest of year.�

Coal imports increased compared to the same period last year, with Immingham�s deep-water riverside berth, Humber International Terminal, continuing to go from strength to strength. In March, the facility handled a record-breaking cargo, with m.v. Southern Explorer discharging some 130,137 tonnes of coal imports from South Africa � the largest-ever dry-bulk cargo handled on the Humber Estuary � in just 96 hours.

Immingham�s forest-products trade received a boost in May, with the opening of Immingham Forest Products Terminal, a new �1.0 million storage and distribution terminal. The 9,000 sq m facility provides specialist storage facilities for high-value pulp and paper traffics. One of the first customers to use the new facility is the US company Bowater Incorporated, a major producer of pulp and paper. ABP services Bowater�s pulp customers in the north of England, including Kimberly-Clark, whose nappy-production plant is located only 14 miles from Immingham at Barton-upon-Humber.

ABP is currently building a �800,000 warehouse next to Immingham Forest Products Terminal at the port�s eastern quay, following a term agreement with Humber Timber Terminals � a new joint venture between Barrow Haven Shipping Services and Lacy & Middlemiss. The new 5,775 sq m warehouse will become operational later this month.

It has been a good six months for ABP Connect�s Exxtor Terminal, a four-berth lift-on/lift-off and roll-on/roll-off terminal at Immingham. In April, Kursiu Linija signed a new contract for its weekly container-line service between Immingham and the Baltic ports of Klaipeda, Riga and Kaliningrad. Additionally, the French-based firm CMA CGM recently introduced a weekly service to Immingham, with imports of goods and materials for the domestic DIY market.

There have been a number of other new projects at the port, including the development of a �2.0 million new unit-load terminal which became operational at Immingham in August. The new terminal is operated by Freshney Cargo Services, which has already secured shipping line Sea-Cargo AS as a first customer. Sea-Cargo has relocated its operations from Grimsby to Immingham, enabling the company to expand its service, and creating additional space to accommodate business expansion at Grimsby, including the continued growth of Volkswagen Group.

ABP has also invested �1.1 million in a warehousing and storage terminal at Immingham, following an agreement with PB Kent, a subsidiary of IAWS Fertilisers. PB Kent will produce and distribute high-quality granular horticultural products from the new terminal, which has already handled its first cargo

3rd September 2003

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