Trade

As an island nation the importance of ports cannot be underestimated: with 566 million tonnes being handled in 2001, ports handle 95% (by volume) of imports and exports.

Total imports and exports handled by ports in the UK since 1965
(source: Department for Transport Statistics)

• There are over 650 ports in the UK.
• The top five ports handle over 40% of all traffic.
• The top 16 handle over 80% of UK port traffic.

The past forty years has seen considerable change in the way goods are transported with approximately 50% of goods now being moved in containers as opposed to 1965 when it was only 4%.

Long term forecasts suggest that unconstrained container port demand will continue to rise at a rate of 4- 6% per annum for the foreseeable future.

The three current port development proposals and extensions could provide extra capacity amounting to 6.6 million TEUs* per annum which is much more than even the industry estimates for need.

There is clearly a proven demand for port expansion but it is vital that any response to this is regulated and carried out with due consideration of the environmental impacts.

*TEU = the unit used for measuring container boxes, meaning a "twenty foot equivalent unit", approximately equivalent to one and a half 20m container boxes

Transport >

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