ABP SOUTHAMPTON’S HALF-YEAR RESULTS SHOW STRENGTH IN CRUISE AND OTHER KEY TRADES
In the first six months of 2006, Associated British Ports' (ABP) Port of Southampton upheld its position of ‘UK cruise capital’ and reported a solid set of figures in other key trades.
In total, cargo and passenger throughput increased in comparison to the same period last year and remains on track for a record-breaking full year in 2006.
The port’s cruise business experienced a particularly successful first half with 101 cruise calls in the period – up 10 per cent on the same period last year, with passenger throughput jumping from 263,000 to 277,000.
In March, Southampton was named 'Best Turnaround Port Operations' at the world's largest cruise conference in Miami. The following month, the port welcomed five cruise ships at once – the first time this had occurred at any UK port since 1966. Later in April, Southampton welcomed Royal Caribbean International's Freedom of the Seas, which, at 160,000 tonnes, is the world's largest cruise ship.
In May, HRH The Duke of York opened Empress Terminal, Southampton's second multi-deck car terminal. Empress Terminal was built at a cost of £4.2m and is capable of accommodating 2,000 trade cars. With 80 per cent of Southampton's deep-sea vehicle trade destined for export, this new facility is an important addition to the port's vehicle-handling infrastructure.
Throughput at Southampton Container Terminals (SCT) – the UK's second largest container facility – was 654,000 container units (TEUs) in the first half of the year.In June, SCT handled CMA/CGM Fidelio, setting a new record as the largest container ship ever to call at Southampton.
Regarding the port’s other main trades, the first six months of 2006 showed gains in shipments of liquid bulks – particularly petroleum – and dry bulks such as biomass, minerals, sand, gravel and aggregates.Doug Morrison, ABP Port Director, Southampton, said: "ABP’s Port of Southampton continues to thrive. The results from the first six months of 2006 reinforce the upward trend in tonnages and cruise-passengers that we have witnessed in recent years. There are also a number of future initiatives we are working on, which will benefit the port as well as the city of Southampton and the surrounding area. The recently announced seven-year agreement with Royal Caribbean International (RCI) – which will see the 3,800 passenger-capacity Navigator of the Seas based at the port – is one of these initiatives, and the associated £10m enhancement of the City Cruise Terminal will further enhance Southampton's reputation as a world-class port."
 |
 |
Copyright © Associated British Ports Holdings PLC 2004. All rights reserved.
Contact us
