Humber Ports owner Associated British Ports (ABP) announced it is working with several major Agri Bulk players in readiness to bring in grain “to plug the gaps left by the shortfall” in Britain’s supply — as what could be one of the wettest winters on record impacts the UK harvest.
The Humber Ports play a major role in supporting the agricultural sector across the North of England and the Midlands.
ABP said the Humber Ports have strengthened long term relationships with Frontier, Viterra, and Cefetra “by supporting them with their export and import opportunities and working with them to secure long term storage.”
It said it has underpinned these relationships with significant investments in increasing storage capacity and handling capability, with more than £30 million committed in recent years.
“At Immingham, for example, standard storage assets have been converted into a specialist grain import and export facilities, and over in the Humber International Terminal a 38,000-tonne shed has been constructed for the storage of grain/soya,” said ABP.
“Two large break bulk sheds have also been converted to enable import handling in both Hull and Immingham …
“ABP’s Humber Ports Agri Bulk capability is a key element of our broadly based offering to the sector all around the coast of Britain, with ports such as Ipswich, Newport, Southampton and Kings Lynn offering customers and shippers a range of options convenient for their customers and producers.”
Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber Ports, said: “The investments over the years have been future proofing the Humber ports and giving our customers the confidence that we can give them what they need in terms of capacity, reliability and efficiency.
“It’s been a particular source of pride to me over my time as Regional Director for ABP’s Humber ports that we’ve invested tens of millions of pounds to grow the ability of the ports to play their part in such a fundamentally important role for the UK.
“Our ports are the gateways to feeding the nation and making sure the economy keeps moving and growing – Keeping Britain Trading in such an important way.”