Associated British Ports

The Port of Lowestoft handles around 30,000 tonnes of cargo per year and together with ABP's other two East Anglian ports, King’s Lynn and Ipswich, contributes £360 million to the economy and support 5,300 jobs. Lowestoft has emerged as a thriving centre for companies servicing the offshore energy industry.

A new vision for the Port of Lowestoft (2020 -2050) has been published - click here to view and feedback.

DOCUMENTS AND LINKS

ABP Lowestoft N To M No.27 2019 Lowestoft Approaches Possible Shoaling NE Of Harbour Entrance (0.3Mb) Port Charges Lowestoft 2023 (0.6Mb) Port Of Lowestoft MasterPlan Port of Lowestoft Masterplan video Property Solutions Lowestoft Beacon Marina Harbour Revision Order (HRO) 2021 (Transfer of Mutford Lock) HRO (Transfer of Mutford Lock) - Plan Lowestoft News Jan 2022 Pilotage Fuel Surcharge

Throughout our network of 21 ports around Britain, our expert and highly-trained teams are ready to work in partnership to deliver the solutions your business needs.

The UK’s most eastern port, Lowestoft has a long history of servicing offshore energy projects and offers highly-skilled teams equipped to safely and efficiently handle a wide range of cargoes.

The port is at the heart of the burgeoning offshore wind industry, offering customers close proximity to key offshore wind sites for construction, operations and maintenance.

ABP has produced an updated vision for the Port of Lowestoft, working with a range of stakeholders. ABP’s plan shows how to maximise the potential of the port, for all those who live, work and invest in it.

LEEF: Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility

Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) is a major ABP investment project on Lowestoft’s Outer Harbour. Encompassing sites to the East and West of the Harbour, LEEF is tailored to the offshore energy industry’s latest requirements, and creates a highly competitive offer for ABP’s customers.

ABP’s work to prepare the LEEF East site will be completed by 2023, creating additional berthing space, new infill land, and a deeper harbour approach to accommodate flexible operations. Around 5,000 square feet of new office space with direct quayside access is also expected.

The LEEF West site is expected to be operational from 2026, providing additional quay space and berthing capacity, as well as new laydown space and the potential for more offices and warehousing. The site will benefit from shoreside power, while retaining fish landing sites.

For more information on both LEEF East and West projects, please contact Jay Medina

Connectivity

Situated directly opposite major continental ports, the Port of Lowestoft serves the busy sea routes between the UK, Europe, Scandinavia, and the Baltic States.

The port is linked by A-roads to the M11 and M1 and has quayside rail links, connecting the port to the national rail network.

Nearby, Norwich Airport is linked to destinations in the UK and Europe.

Delivering for customers

The Port of Lowestoft has emerged as East of England’s Renewable Energy Hub, offering expert teams and the right facilities to accommodate complex demands.

In recent years the Port of Lowestoft completed a two-year contract to support the construction of the Galloper Offshore Wind Farm, a 353MW windfarm project located 30km off the coast of Suffolk. The port is now home to the Operations and Maintenance Base for the Greater Gabbard Offshore windfarm, which is a 504MW windfarm located 23km off the coast of Suffolk in England. The long-term collaboration between SSE and ABP on this project began in 2012 and is projected to continue to positively contribute to the local economy for decades to come.

Fabrication facilities are offered within the Inner Harbour via AKD Engineering and a dry dock is available for ship repairs.

Additional facilities include a 14,000-tonne capacity silo and storage installation at Silo Quay, which accommodates a range of bulk materials, including grain and cement. The port's Inner and Outer Harbours accommodate project and specialised cargoes and its North Quay Terminal provides mobile cranage, together with 16,000sqm of storage for forest products, steel, and general cargo.

Four modern transit sheds provide 10,000sqm of covered storage space, with wide areas of open storage also available.

ABP's ports in East Anglia support

5,300 jobs across the UK

Port of Lowestoft provides

16,000sqm of storage capacity

Handles around

30,000 Tonnes of cargo each year

Key statistics and berthing information

Total port acreage = 97 acres

		Normal acceptance dimensions of vessels
Dock, Jetty or Quay	Quay length	Length	Beam	Draught	MHWS MHWN
Outer Harbour – Docks	1,400 m	125m	35m	5.5m	5.2m
Entrance Channel & Inner Harbour	2,100 m	125m	22m	6.0m	5.7m

Address (marine matters):

ABP Lowestoft
Bridge Control Building
Station Square
Lowestoft
Suffolk
NR32 1BA

Harbour Master: Mike Dunn

Marine Manager - Gary Horton

Operations Manager: Tom Duit

Telephone: 01502 572286

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Fax: 01502 586375

VHF: Call Name - Lowestoft Port Control Channel: 14 Other Channels:16 & 11

Welcome to the Port of Lowestoft. We look forward to working with you to ensure that your visit is safe and efficient. Please use the information on this web site to help you plan your visit and ensure that you, or your agent, have exchanged all of the necessary information with our Port Authority.

Pilotage is provided by ABP Lowestoft, and vessels requiring a pilot should contact Lowestoft Port Control at least 24 & 3 Hours before arrival at the Pilot Station. Please see the Pilotage Directions for full information.

It is essential that all mariners read our Ship's Information Notice for Visiting Masters of Commercial Vessels which gives important information regarding the safety of your vessel and crew, and your obligations while visiting our port.

Skippers of leisure and small vessels (Under 50GRT) should the read the Small Craft and Yachts Notice

Latest Port survey charts can be viewed below:

Area 1 / Area 2 / Area 3 / Area 4 / Area 5

ABP Lowestoft also operate the Bascule Bridge and timely advance notice of intention to transit this bridge must be given to ensure delays to vessels are minimised

ABP Lowestoft wishes you a safe and pleasant visit to our port.

Pilotage directions for the port can be downloaded here

All vessels navigating within the Port of Lowestoft should complete a passage plan for every voyage undertaken. The passage plan used by local pilots (and reccomended for use by PEC holders) can be downloaded below:
Lowestoft Passage Plan Document (2023)

JULY 2013: IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PILOT BOARDING ARRANGEMENTS
To ensure the safety of our Pilots, ABP has issued a Notice to Mariners No. 17 of 2013 with details of procedures to ensure that pilot boarding arrangements are safe and fit for purpose

Ship's Masters and Agents are required to comply with the contents of the notice, and may also find Pilot Boarding Information from the IMO / IMPA useful

Please click here for a copy of the Port of Lowestoft byelaws.

Category	Organisation Name	Web Site - click on address to open webpage
ABP
	Agents on-line	www.abpnotify.co.uk
	ABP waste notifications	www.abpnotify.co.uk
Adjacent Inland WatersHarbour Authority
	Broads Authority	http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/broads-authority
Leisure
	ABP Marina website	http://www.lowestofthavenmarina.co.uk/
	RN&SYC	http://www.rnsyc.net/news.php
	Lowestoft Cruising Club	www.lowestoftcruisingclub.co.uk
	Lowestoft Marina	http://lowestoftmarina.net/
	MTB Marine	http://mtbmarine.com/
	Oulton Broad Yacht Station	http://sentinel.onesuffolk.net/home/Oulton-Broad-Yacht-Station/
	Mutford Lock	http://sentinel.onesuffolk.net/home/Oulton-Broad-Yacht-Station/Mutford-Lock/
Local Ships Agents
	ABP	[email protected]
	Clarksons Great Yarmouth	http://www.clarksons.com/offices/united-kingdom/great-yarmouth/
	Dudmans	http://www.dudmangroup.co.uk/
	Cory Brothers	http://www.cory.co.uk/content2.php?page_id=24
	Seletar Shipping	[email protected]
	GAC Services (UK) Ltd	[email protected]
Other
	Tide Predictions - Easytide	http://www.ukho.gov.uk/easytide/easytide/ShowPrediction.aspx?PortID=0141&PredictionLength=7
	Tide levels - near real time	http://www.ntslf.org/data/uk-network-real-time
	Tidal surge predictions	http://www.ntslf.org/storm-surges/latest-surge-forecast?port=Lowestoft
	Weather Station	http://www.rnsyc.net/viewpage.php?page_id=11

For information about tidal datums and levels in Lowestoft, please click here

To view 2023 tide predictions click here and for hourly height click here

To view tide predictions for the next 7 days, please click here (Link to external web site, provided by the UKHO)

To view real time tidal height and difference from prediction - Current tidal "surge" or "cut" . Click here (Link to external web site)

To view the storm surge prediction forecast for Lowestoft, click here (Link to external web site)

The Lowestoft Port Waste Management Plan has been implemented in accordance with the Merchant Shipping and Fishing Vessels (Port Waste Reception Facilities) Regulations 2003. This document is approved by the MCA. A copy of the current plan can be found here.

Please follow the link for the Lowestoft Flood Contingency Plan to view this document.

The current Lowestoft Oil Spill Contingency plan can be found here

The current Lowestoft Major Incident Plan can be found here

Bunkering

ABP applies a set of minimum requirements for bunkering providers across all its 21 ports. These Service Provider Requirements can be found here.

Towage

ABP applies a set of minimum requirements for towage providers across all its 21 ports. These Service Provider Requirements can be found here.

The latest Lowestoft Port and Pilotage tariffs can be accessed via the links below.

ABP Lowestoft Port and Pilotage Tariff 2023

For any enquiries regarding the Port charging structure please contact the ABP East Anglia Commercial Team

tel. +44 (0)1473 231010 Ext. 5131

email - [email protected]