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Felixstowe South Public Inquiry Underway
01 Dec 2004
The Public Inquiry is underway into the proposed reconfiguration of the southern part of the UK Port of Felixstowe . The proposal involves the conversion of an area previously used by P&O North Sea Ferries at Landguard Terminal and the now largely redundant Dock Basin into a new deep water container terminal.
The proposals would increase the quay length available for container handling by close to 1,000m, giving a total quay length of 1,350m dredged to 16m alongside. Together with the extension of the Port's Trinity Terminal, Felixstowe would be able to provide a total of nearly 4km of deep water container facilities and the total capacity of the Port would increase by some 1.5 million TEUs to 5.2 million TEUs per year. The reconfiguration would be expected to create more than 600 new jobs in addition to the 2,700 people already employed at the Port plus some 860 more in support industries and services.
Richard Pearson, managing director of the Port's operators, Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, said, 'There is a well recognised need for more container terminal capacity in the UK. This development will enable the Port of Felixstowe to berth more of the latest generation of large container vessels simultaneously, securing our position as a major European hub and ensuring that UK importers and exporters enjoy the full range of direct call liner services.
'Together with our plans to develop new facilities at Bathside Bay in Harwich, to which we remain fully committed, these developments will secure the position of the Haven Ports as the major gateway for the international trade upon which the country depends.'
The Public Inquiry was expected to end earlier this month, with a decision expected sometime next year.
MJ Information No: 20122
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