UK's first Port Economic Partnership

Photo: Associated British Ports (ABP)

The Department for Transport (DfT) has partnered with the Port of Southampton, part of Associated British Ports (ABP), in an initiative to create stronger links between the country’s ports and its government, with the aim to maximise long-term trade and economic growth.

As part of its January 2019-launched strategy, Maritime 2050 - Navigating the Future, the UK government outlined the formation of Port Economic Partnerships (PEP) as one way of creating a strong business environment for ports to thrive, in turn, boosting trade and driving the national economy.

Specifically, the trail PEP will focus on leveraging the maximum benefit from public and private sector investment, i.a. in new freight handling facilities, and ensuring that planning processes are as efficient as possible.

The government wants the PEP to facilitate cooperation between public and private sector organisations at the local, regional, and national levels in order improve the country's links with its global trading partners, especially in "[…] a post-Brexit world where the resilience of our trading hubs is more critical than ever before," ABP wrote in a press release.

"This fantastic endeavour will be key to supporting the ambitions of Government, helping to cement the UK as a leading maritime nation. Not only this, but this project will also allow the Port of Southampton to drive sector growth, enhance its offer to customers and serve its local community," Nusrat Ghani, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, commented.

Alastair Welch, ABP's Regional Director for Southampton, underlined, "It's great to see the Government put maritime at the heart of the nation's economic future. This is another fantastic initiative capable of turbo-charging trade and boosting the nation's exports."