By Richard Morton, projects director, Haven Gateway.

In the fast-moving world of ports and logistics, dryports (and the added value they can deliver) are getting higher on the agenda.  Dryports offer many virtues: increasing the capacity of sea ports under pressure; enabling cargo to be whisked inland with minimal delay; offering ‘green’ supply chain opportunities; providing critical hubs to serve the import/export needs of landlocked countries; helping to provide trade growth in developing countries.

It’s clear that dryports have many common features but also many differences; when it comes to the detail they are, essentially, what you make them.  

By David Ralph, chief executive, Haven Gateway

For a long time the proposed London Gateway container terminal on the River Thames seemed speculative. Announcements that construction was starting always seemed caveated – but now London Gateway is on the way. After some considerable delays, port owner and operator DP World has confirmed that the new deepwater container facility will open in the fourth quarter 2013. Suddenly a proposal that’s been beyond the distant horizon for longer than most can remember is going to become reality.

What does that mean for the Port of Felixstowe and the wider Haven Gateway’s shipping and logistics sector? Undoubtedly it means new competition – we would always support that. Clearly, it’s also a time when we must redouble our efforts and make sure the world knows what the Haven Gateway has to offer.

By David Ralph, chief executive, Haven Gateway Partnership

Contributing an estimated 32,000 jobs to the local economy and comprising some 12% of the GVA of the local economy, the performance of the Haven Ports is increasingly vital to both our local economy and UK plc.

Last year [2011] was extremely challenging for the ports sector – but in reality, the performance of our ports held up well, underlining their strong position in millions of supply chains.

The Port of Felixstowe celebrated its 125th anniversary last year and of course this was an occasion to look back on a proud history. But this is a port that’s looking forward with confidence. The anniversary celebrations were held in combination with the official opening of the new deepwater Berths 8&9.

By Richard Morton, Projects Director, Haven Gateway

Looking back on 2011, one of the key messages from the Haven Gateway is: Another busy and successful year in Europe!

As a core partner in three important EU projects, the Haven Gateway continued to extend its influence across Europe, while also benefiting from substantial ongoing European funding.

In September, we proudly took ‘centre stage’ to host the EU Dryport project’s annual general meeting and conference, welcoming partners and colleagues from Sweden, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Scotland for two days of discussions and an operational visit to the Port of Felixstowe. We took on the challenge of bringing together the worlds of politics and business and asking them to share their experiences and views; the result was some thought-provoking presentations and discussions.

By Richard Morton, Projects Director, Haven Gateway

DUISBURG can accurately be described as Germany’s most western port – many ships sail directly to the city from the North Sea, which is 250 kms away.

Duisburg is also the world’s busiest inland port; it handles everything from containers to steel to dry bulks, and has long acted as a vital transhipment hub linking the major seaports of Antwerp, Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Zeebrugge to the European hinterland.

Hardly surprising, then, that Duisburg, with its wide range of cargoes, added-value logistics activities and clearly ‘green’ credentials, are of great interest to the partners in Dryport, who are examining how hinterland intermodal freight transport hubs can best operate to cope with traffic flows and the challenges of port congestion.

By David Ralph, Chief Executive, Haven Gateway

WHILE our port operators focus on providing berths, cranes, stevedoring, ondock storage and a wide range of added value services to the world’s shipping lines, Harwich Haven Authority has statutory responsibility for overseeing all commercial shipping within the estuary and harbour – as well as in an area extending 12 nautical miles from the harbour entrance out to sea, adding up to a total area of jurisdiction of 150 square miles.

Needless to say, everyone wants to be in the right place at the right time, safety and efficiently. Tight schedules and sensitive cargoes are the everyday reality – time is money, and that’s even truer in difficult economic times.

Companies are invited to submit tenders with regard to Decision Criteria for Cruise Port Selection in the North Sea Region in accordance with the specification as part of the EU North Sea Region Cruise Gateway programme.

http://www.northsearegion.eu/ivb/projects/details/&tid=125 and www.cruisegateway.eu

Please be aware that the deadline for submission is noon GMT, 22^nd November 2011.

By John Winn, Chairman, Haven Gateway private business forum

IF YOU thought working in ports and logistics is all about cranes, containers and trucks, think again. These days it’s also about the E-word, especially on a European level.

In short, we are facing an E-bombardment. E-maritime, Ship Reporting Formalities, E-customs … the European Union is treating us to a plethora of ICT initiatives, directives and projects designed to make transport and trade through Europe smooth, efficient and free of bottlenecks, be they physical or virtual.

By David Ralph, chief executive, Haven Gateway

With the UK’s largest container port at Felixstowe, a major cruise and ferry port at Harwich and the country’s biggest grain export port at Ipswich, no one would argue with the clout of our subregion in the port and logistics ‘league table’.

Studies and statistics confirm the importance of the sector to our regional economy, too. But they have also confirmed something else – that we cannot afford to sit back and assume all will move forward by itself. As the industry expands, so does the need for the right people with the right skills and qualifications. We must focus on training – otherwise, where is the next generation of workers going to come from?

By John Winn, Chairman, Haven Gateway private business forum

Readers might be surprised to learn that a question regularly asked at Dryport meetings and never really answered is: ‘What is the definition of a dryport?’ And that’s because no two dryports are the same. A dryport can offer one, two or many different functions and services, depending, of course, on where it is, what is needed and what transport infrastructure is available.