£100m freight terminal planned for port

Stena Line and Associated British Ports (ABP) have reached an agreement to jointly develop a new freight terminal at the Port of Immingham.

The £100m deal will see the Swedish ferry company operate the terminal for the next 50 years.

Stena Line is one of the largest ferry operators in the world with 18 routes, and 37 vessels, operating between 13 countries across Northern Europe.

It currently runs four daily freight services from the Humber to The Netherlands.

At the start of the year Stena Line relocated its Rotterdam freight service to the Port of Immingham, the largest port in the UK by tonnage, which is owned by ABP.

The move has allowed the company to become the provider of both the terminal and shipping operations.

With freight levels continuing to grow, Stena Line needs to add capacity and expand its operations at Immingham. It requires a long-term solution that has access to the main Humber Estuary.

This would allow for quicker sailing times and the option to use larger vessels to cater for increased freight demand from exporters and importers from across the region and the rest of the UK.

The terminal proposals outline the relocation of Stena Line’s current Immingham freight operations to a new site, next to Immingham Outer Harbour, where ABP will develop the purpose-built facility.

Niclas Martensson, chief executive officer of Stena Line, said: “Our freight levels are at record levels and are continuing to increase, so we want to build on this success and provide additional services to our most important business needs, those of our customers.

“We’re pledging a significant long-term commitment that will bring a substantial boost to the region’s economy in terms of jobs and revenue.”

Simon Bird, Humber director, Associated British Ports, added: “Stena will be joining a growing family of commercial partners who are choosing to use ABP’s ports in the Humber which have fantastic facilities and connections for traders across Europe and beyond.

“Our track record in recent years of investing in new infrastructure is making the Humber the place to be for trading links between the Midlands and North of England, and the rest of the world.”

ABP intends to submit an application for a Development Consent Order to the Secretary of State for Transport in early summer, with a view to the new terminal being operational in 2025.