ABP SOUTHAMPTON LAUNCHES HANDBOOK FOR ‘GATEWAY TO THE WORLD’
Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Southampton has published a new Handbook, providing a definitive guide to one of Britain’s busiest and most exciting ports.
Southampton – popularly known as the UK’s ‘Gateway to the World’ – handles an extremely diverse range of cargo. It is perhaps best known as the UK’s premier cruise port, but it also boasts the UK’s second largest container port (at Southampton Container Terminals). Southampton is the country’s number-one car-handling port and is home to one of the busiest marine oil terminals in Europe. The port also handles a range of other cargoes, such as project cargo, dry bulks and fresh produce.
Doug Morrison, ABP Port Director, Southampton, said: “The port is going through a very important stage in its long and fascinating history. Our recent announcement about proposals to increase our container-handling capacity – by 85 per cent, to 3.7 million TEU – is just one indicator of the general feeling of excitement you feel at the port today.”
He added: “The 2006/2007 Handbook is a highly detailed and colourfully illustrated document that is a ‘must’ for anyone with an interest in the port and our operations here.”
As well as increasing container capacity through its ground-breaking sustainable port-development strategy, ABP has also recently announced a £4.1 million investment in enhancing the handling and storage facilities at the port’s Bulk Terminal. The port, which boasts three cruise terminals, has also pledged to improve and expand its City Cruise Terminal by investing £10 million in the facility. This follows a great deal of success in the port’s award-winning cruise business, including beating its long-standing record for passenger numbers and hosting five cruise ships in one day.
The port handles around seven per cent of all UK seaborne trade by tonnage and 23 per cent, by value, of all international non-EU seaborne trade. Some 740 people are employed directly by ABP at Southampton; indirectly, the multiplier-effect of ABP’s employment shows the port is responsible for a total of 12,000 jobs. As the Competent Harbour Authority for the Solent and Southampton Water, the port’s vessel traffic services system oversees the safe navigation of over 100,000 commercial vessels and ten of thousands of recreational craft each year.
If you would like to receive a copy of the new Southampton Handbook, please contact Piers Tomlinson, in ABP’s Corporate Communications Department, on 020 7430 6820.
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