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A happy new year for port of Dover – and a busy 2023

[ December 14, 2023   //   ]

The Port of Dover has processed 29,108 miles of freight, car and coach traffic since 1 January 2023 – enough to stretch round the world and then some.

The ferry terminal handled £144bn worth of UK trade and 33% of the UK’s trade with the EU, every year on just 0.68 square miles of land.

The Port of Dover’s general cargo terminal imported 148 million bananas and 9 million melons into the UK and  also saw a doubling of grain export volumes from 2021 – to 81,500 tonnes.

 Some 8.4 million passengers also travelled through the port.

The port’s chief executive Doug Bannister, said: “It has been a storied year at the Port, as ever; with records broken, milestones hit, and new partnerships formed and took a huge step forward in becoming the UK’s first green shipping corridor. Meanwhile, the Port of Dover Cargo terminal continues to go from strength to strength – handling its largest-ever amount of fresh produce last winter season – with 31 vessel calls between December and March – with other thriving commercial partnerships cultivated that connect the South East and the world with construction materials, fresh produce, project cargo and agri-bulks.”

Chief operations officer, Emma Ward, added: “We at the Port also remember the power of community this time of year; reminiscing about the challenges of December 2020 when Dover pulled together with the Kent community and our operational partners to look after the stranded HGV drivers who could not get home for Christmas that year.

“Each festive season, we remember the community spirit we saw and the importance of thanking those who work hard throughout the year to deliver for the UK – freight drivers and seafarers, the Port’s own staff, our colleagues at P&O, DFDS, Irish Ferries, Police aux Frontières, Kent Police and Border Force – and of course Dover residents for their local support. We wish all a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”

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