Other Businesses

ABP Property

Our property division brings together an unrivalled land bank spanning 21 multi-modal locations around the country, with 960 hectares of port-based development land.

ABPmer

Drawing on 60 years of experience, ABP Marine Environmental Research (ABPmer) provides specialist marine environmental research and consultancy services.

UK Dredging

UK Dredging (UKD) operates the largest British-owned dredging fleet and specialises in the provision of reliable and cost effective port maintenance dredging services.

Commercial Enquiries

General Enquiries

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. 

                 

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

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 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

Various Port application forms can be found here:

Latest Port survey charts can be viewed below:

Area 1 / Area 2 / Area 3 / Area 4Area 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)

Lowestoft Tidal Information 2024

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

01 Mooring operations

02 Shore Leave restrictions for Seafarers due to COVID 19

 

Lowestoft

2024

01 Notices in Force

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

24 Use of Life Jackets

2013

17 Boarding and Landing of Pilots

19 2013 Non-Routine Towage

2012

3 Bunkering Checklist

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

5 Ships International Catering Waste (ICW)

For ABP’s standard terms and conditions, please click here.