The Port of Lowestoft handles around 250,000 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
Lowestoft Tidal Information 2024 (0.1Mb) Lowestoft Port Plan - Outer Harbour Lowestoft Port Plan Port Charges Lowestoft 2024 Port Of Lowestoft MasterPlan Port of Lowestoft Masterplan video Property Solutions Lowestoft Beacon Marina LTTC Directions Scheme Of Operation For The New BridgeThroughout 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
The Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility (LEEF) is a major port redevelopment project in ABP’s Port of Lowestoft’s Outer Harbour. LEEF will help to secure the Port of Lowestoft’s position as a focal point for supporting the region’s offshore energy industry.
The multi-million pound project represents significant investment in state-of-the-art port infrastructure, which includes creating more space on the quay side and deep water berthing. Each berth will have bunkering, water and electricity connectivity. This will be suitable for Operations & Maintenance (O&M) activities and construction support for the offshore sector, with construction on site due to complete by September 2024, with the facility operational from October 2024.
LEEF is tailored to the offshore energy industry’s latest requirements, and creates a highly competitive offer for the region.
For more information on both LEEF please contact Tom Duit.
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.
Sizewell C
ABP’s East Anglian ports of Ipswich and Lowestoft are your gateway to Sizewell C.
When constructed, Sizewell C would be one of the largest nuclear power plants in the UK, contributing significantly to the UK’s energy infrastructure.
Due to the size and complexity of the project, the amount of materials needed is vast, with it expected to be one of the largest infrastructure projects in the history of the UK.
The transportation, storage and delivery of these materials requires careful planning and coordination, in order to address environmental and logistical considerations.
The logistics support for the Sizewell C supply chain offered by ABP includes experience in handling heavy lift and project cargoes, multimodal connectivity, deep sea access, the construction of bespoke warehousing and more.
ABP’s team at Lowestoft has extensive experience in the handling of many types of material and project cargo, and the expertise to deliver the right solutions for your business.
EDF has taken options for two parcels of land at Lowestoft, which is ideally positioned for many uses, including the handing of aggregate from a virtual quarry, storage of AIL’s (abnormal indivisible loads), steel and general cargo.
Lowestoft is only 20 nautical miles, and 28 miles by road from the Sizewell site, and as a tri-modal port, Lowestoft has access to rail sidings, which makes it ideal for material to be delivered by rail to site, taking HGV’s off the road and saving customers time and money.
Get in touch to find out more: [email protected]
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.
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 UKPort of Lowestoft provides
16,000sqm of storage capacityHandles around
30,000 Tonnes of cargo each yearKey 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
Various Port application forms can be found here:
- Bunkering Check List
- Request for Hot Work Permission form
- Request to Dive Permission form
- Port Lifting Application
- UAV Application
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 |
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Agents on-line |
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ABP waste notifications |
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Adjacent Inland WatersHarbour Authority |
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Broads Authority |
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Leisure |
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ABP Marina website |
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RN&SYC |
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Lowestoft Cruising Club |
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Lowestoft Marina |
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MTB Marine |
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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/ |
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Local Ships Agents |
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ABP |
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Clarksons Great Yarmouth |
http://www.clarksons.com/offices/united-kingdom/great-yarmouth/ |
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Dudmans |
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Cory Brothers |
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Seletar Shipping |
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GAC Services (UK) Ltd |
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Other |
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Tide Predictions - Easytide |
http://www.ukho.gov.uk/easytide/easytide/ShowPrediction.aspx?PortID=0141&PredictionLength=7 |
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Tide levels - near real time |
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Tidal surge predictions |
http://www.ntslf.org/storm-surges/latest-surge-forecast?port=Lowestoft |
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Weather Station |
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 Charges 2024
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]
Notices to Mariners in force are listed below
East Anglia
2024
03 Lowestoft Southern Approaches - Fishing Gear Adrift
Marine Aggregate Industry Survey Notification
2022
01 Sanctions against Russian Shipping
02 Leisure vessels arriving from outside the UK
02a Updated Information for Leisure vessels arriving from outside the UK
2021
02 Shore Leave restrictions for Seafarers due to COVID 19
Lowestoft
2024
Lake Closure Notice Letter to Stakeholders - Updated 6 March 2024
42a – South Cardinal Twin Buoy off station – update
49 – Lowestoft Inner and Outer Harbour Areas – Bathymetric Survey
50 - Lowestoft Approaches – Stanford Channel – Buoy Positions
51 Lowestoft Inner Harbour, Outer Harbour and Approaches - Dredges and Survey Activity
2023
01 Lowestoft Notices to Mariners in Force 2023
31 Lowestoft Inner Harbour - New Pontoon for Gull Wing Bridge
50 Updated Information for Small Craft
55 Shoaling in Stanford Channel
2022
02 Lowestoft Gull Wing Construction Site
25 Lowestoft Pilotage Direction 2017 - Revision Of Schedule 1 (Pilot Boarding Positions)
26 Updated Covid Reporting and Pilotage Information
2021
40 Gull Wing Construction Temporary Reporting Requirements
51 UXO Position in Lowestoft SE Approaches
2020
Maritime Declaration of Health form
26 Border Health Control Measures - Application to Marine Leisure Users
29 Lowestoft Harbour and Approaches – Management of Vessel Speed and Wash
47 Lowestoft - New Requirements for Vessels Using ABP Commercial Berths and Self Mooring
50 Lowestoft - Impending Changes to Vessel Reporting and Clearance Procedures
2019
18 Lowestoft Inner Harbour – Town / Cefas Quay – Passing Speed
2017
5 Use of Weighted Heaving Lines
22 Lowestoft - Reporting Of Vessel Movements
24 Passage Plan - Lowestoft Port and Approaches
32 Pilot Boarding Arrangement Checks
2016
12 MCA Alert Regarding Lifting Equipment On Workboats
2015
2013
17 Boarding and Landing of Pilots
2012
3 Bunkering Checklist Revision
2011
7 Lowestoft Port Traffic Lights
10 Bridge Transits - Lowestoft Harbour
2009
19 Crew/Personnel Transfers To Vessels Offshore
2007
13 Protection of ABP Employees from Passive Smoking
2006
For ABP’s standard terms and conditions, please click here.