Image Caption: Road salt discharged at Port of Southampton and loaded onto HGV
The Port of Southampton has taken delivery of 10,000 tonnes of salt on behalf of its customer National Gritting Services (NGS). With many parts of the UK experiencing snowfalls over the weekend, and central parts expecting further cold spells over the coming weeks, the salt will be blended to make grit and used to make our roads safe.
Imported from Tunisia, the salt arrived at Southampton Bulks Terminal, on board the general cargo vessel EEMS Voyager over the weekend and was discharged by the terminal operators, Solent Stevedores. This latest import represents the largest salt shipment the port has seen in four years.
Mayus Karia, Group Managing Director, NGS, said: "The NGS Group is pleased to announce the arrival of this vessel chartered by us, against the Brexit backdrop, in circumstances where demand is high and shortages have started to appear. We continue to support and prioritise stock for essential services at a difficult time for the country with the Covid pandemic.
“We would like to pass our special thanks to Solent Stevedores, The Port of Southampton (ABP), Shipping Agent J Bellamy and the ship owners, for their support and assistance in these challenging times. Our vessels of salt cargo will continue to arrive through the rest of the winter".
This salt shipment could cover up to 75,000 miles of standard single lane 7m-wide road and prevent ice from forming, so that communities can travel safely. In addition, the superior grade high purity white salt works faster than rock salt and leaves no residue or staining behind.
Ray Facey, Commercial Manager, Solent Stevedores, added: “We have enjoyed a close relationship with NGS for a number of years, handling a number of bulk shipments of salt though our facility within ABP’s Port of Southampton. It is great that the product will be primarily used to overcome some of the cold weather challenges in the locality.”
As the UK’s number one export port, Southampton handles exports worth £40 billion annually, including £36 billion destined for markets outside the EU. The port is at the heart of supply chains supporting manufacturers and businesses throughout Britain.
Alastair Welch, Director of ABP Southampton, said: “This latest shipment of salt represents a great example of how, together with our customers and partners, we play an important role in making the UK’s road network safer for everyone.
“Our Port in Southampton is less than two miles away from the M27 and has direct rail links to the national railway network, which means it provides our customers with an efficient way to transport their products to other parts of the country.”
