The new berths will be capable of accommodating vessels up to 225m long, 35m wide and drawing up to 10m at all stages of the tide. Close to the busy North Sea shipping lanes into the Humber, Immingham Outer Harbour will also provide a high level of weather protection for DFDS' new generation superferries.

ABP will invest £27.5m in the Outer Harbour development, providing a fully surfaced terminal while DFDS will invest in terminal equipment, buildings and ro-ro ramps.

The new terminal will take around 18 months to build.

The scheme is accompanied by a Compensation, Mitigation and Monitoring Agreement agreed between ABP, English Nature, the Environment Agency, the RSPB and local wildlife trusts involving the creation of new bird and wildlife habitat areas in the Humber estuary. Government ministers concluded that the new habitats were significantly greater than those lost to the development, thus enabling them to authorise the development as meeting the requirements of European birds and habitats legislation. No Public Inquiry was held into the proposals as all statutory objectors withdrew their original objections after reaching agreement on the environmental compensation measures.

MJ Information No: 19612