On the quayside at ABP's Port of Newport, in front of a vessel unloading steel. From left to right: Jess Morden, MP for Newport East; Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager (ABP); John Griffiths, MS for Newport East; Julian Walker, Chief Commercial Officer and Regional Director (ABP); Jayne Bryant, MS for Newport West; Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West, First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan; Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans; Dimitri Batrouni, Leader of Newport Council
The First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan and Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, visited Associated British Ports (ABP’s) Port of Newport, to celebrate a major milestone in Welsh industry and regional growth.
Joined by stakeholders from Welsh business and the Newport community, the First Minister welcomed both Newport’s status as the UK’s leading steel-handling port and ABP’s commitment to investing in the future of the port and the city.
The event, held on Thursday 11 September, brought together customers, supply chain partners and civic leaders to celebrate the Port of Newport’s capabilities and ABP’s ambitious development plans. These plans will see ABP invest over £80 million and create around 50 new full-time jobs, strengthening the Port at Newport’s leading position as a crucial hub for the Welsh, but also as a key gateway for global trade.
First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, said:
“Investment in our port infrastructure is vital in unlocking our economic ambitions. Newport handles around £1 billion of UK trade each year and supports over 4,000 jobs, making a huge contribution to the regional economy.
“It’s fantastic to hear about ABP’s commitment to Wales, which will help deliver our priority to create jobs, make families better off and build an economy the people of Wales can be proud of.”
Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Economy and Planning, added:
“Collaboration is key to the success of our ports and investment in port infrastructure is vital to unlocking our economic ambitions. ABP plays a key logistical role in supporting the growth of renewable energy, as well as heavy industry, helping make Newport the largest steel handling port in the UK for nine years in a row.”
ABP’s investment has seen the introduction of world-leading cargo-handling equipment such as magnet-equipped Liebherr cranes and Kalmar forklift trucks, significantly enhancing the safety and operational efficiency at the port.
Supported by the specialist steel logistics expertise of W.E. Dowds, Newport is the UK’s largest steel handling port, having handled 2 million tonnes of steel in 2024, accounting for 29% of the UK’s total iron and steel products.[1]
Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager, Wales and Southwest at ABP, said:
“We were delighted to host the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary to see first-hand how ABP is boosting jobs and investment at the Port of Newport. Our ambitious plans for development will see over £80 million of investment and over 50 jobs to support Newport as the UK’s largest steel handling port.
“This investment in capabilities and infrastructure will ensure the highest level of delivery for our customers. We are also excited to be announcing more development plans for the port in the near future.”
“Due to its prime location and multi-modal connectivity, many of the port’s customers are into the Midlands and beyond, which means Newport is playing a vital role in connecting Welsh industry to international markets and supporting the UK’s wider supply chain.”
Newport’s history in steel dates back to the late 19th century, and ABP is proud to continue supporting this legacy and playing an integral role in the success of the UK’s steel industry and the wider Welsh and UK economies.
[1] Source: Department for Transport ‘UK Port Freight Statistics’ annual statistics for 2024
