ABP SOUTHAMPTON INVESTS OVER £4 MILLION IN BULK TERMINAL
Following the signing of a new 20-year agreement with customer Solent Stevedores Ltd, Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Southampton is investing £4.1 million in enhancing the handling and storage facilities at the port’s Bulk Terminal. The investment comprises £1.6 million, earmarked for a new mobile harbour crane, and £2.5 million for a new multi-purpose transit shed, which will be completed in 2007.
In addition to ABP’s investment, Solent Stevedores has spent approximately £350,000 this year on shore-side equipment, with additional investments of £250,000 planned for 2007 and 2008.
The volumes of bulk handled at Southampton have soared in recent years and the new mobile harbour crane and shed will equip the port’s Bulk Terminal in the Western Docks with the hardware it needs to grow its business in the trade. The new agreement will also lead to the expansion of the port’s Bulk Terminal, utilising the King George V Dry Dock, thereby providing a further seven acres of land for dry-cargo handling.
Solent Stevedores has been Southampton’s dry-bulk cargo stevedore since early 2000. The bulk-handling terminal at Berths 107 to 109 currently handles around one million tonnes of cargo a year.
Stuart Cullen, Managing Director of Solent Stevedores, said:
“As our dry-bulk handling business in Southampton expands, we need the right facilities to satisfy customer demand. Our relationship with ABP is an extremely important one and we are delighted to see this investment coming through.”
Doug Morrison, ABP Port Director, Southampton, said:
“Bulk is an extremely important commodity at Southampton and our tonnage handled in this trade has risen significantly in recent years. This investment demonstrates our faith in Solent Stevedores as the right company to help expand this trade in the future.”
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