PROMISING FIRST HALF FOR ABP’S NORTH-WEST PORTS

PROMISING FIRST HALF FOR ABP’S NORTH-WEST PORTS

Associated British Ports’ (ABP) North-West Ports have had a good first half of 2005, with fresh contracts signed with both new and existing customers and major investments announced for future developments.

Commenting on the ports’ performance, John Fitzgerald, ABP Port Director, Short-Sea Ports, said: “The first six months of this year have been very promising for ABP’s North-West Ports, with growth in major trades. Strategically, these ports are in a highly advantageous position, with state-of-the-art facilities for fast and efficient turnaround times. Short-sea shipping is hugely beneficial for local business and the regional economy, and these ports show every sign of continuing to expand for the future.”

At Fleetwood, an extended agreement with the Swedish ferry company, Stena Line Ltd, has secured the continuation of Stena’s service between Fleetwood and Larne, Northern Ireland. Under the agreement, ABP is investing £0.7m in ramp-improvement works. Stena runs three services a day from Fleetwood – an operation it purchased from P&O European Ferries (Irish Sea) Ltd in April 2004. The route itself was originally established in 1975 and has since demonstrated year-on-year traffic growth. In 2004, vessels on the route carried in excess of 150,000 freight units and trade cars.

Nick Ridehalgh, ABP Port Manager, North-West Ports, said: “Strategically, Fleetwood is in an ideal location to act as a gateway for the North-West England/Ireland corridor. The service to Larne has seen exponential growth since it was established and is a driver for the local regional economy.”

At the Port of Garston, a £0.8m investment in a new handling facility for Maxit Building Products Ltd became operational in May. Maxit, formerly known as Optiroc UK, started importing lightweight aggregates through Garston in 2002, and wanted to expand its operations at the port. The new facility comprises 13,000 sq m of open and undercover storage and is equipped with an automated bagging and palletising plant.

In February, ABP announced that Garston had also won a new business contract, handling sea-dredged aggregates for one of the UK’s leading suppliers of heavy-building materials, Hanson Aggregates (‘Hanson’), under a long-term contract. On the back of a 20-year agreement with ABP, Hanson is investing over £1m in a new processing plant at the port. The plant will handle sea-dredged aggregates for onward delivery to Hanson’s customers in the construction industry.

ABP’s Cumbrian ports of Barrow and Silloth have also had a good first half of 2005. In March, quayside cargo operations at Silloth were given a considerable boost after DA Harrison, the port’s licensed stevedores, invested in a new 80-tonne Sumitomo mobile crane for use at the port. The £250,000 crane is adaptable for safe and efficient handling of grab cargoes and bag or bale cargoes.

At Barrow, ABP is working closely with Barrow Borough Council to play a major role in the regeneration of Barrow; it is also working in partnership with West Lakes Renaissance, Northwest Development Agency and Furness Enterprise towards the regeneration of under-utilised areas of the port in order to benefit the local economy. As such, plans are in place to develop a new marina, business park and cruise-ship terminal. Barrow is also playing a leading role in the many renewable-energy projects planned for the Irish Sea.

7th September 2005

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