ship2shorethe customer magazine of Hutchison Ports (UK) I S S U E 8

Keeping Ports Secure

North Sea Ro/Ro Scales Up

Marine Conservation Zones

New Services Galore

New Services GaloreThree new Asia services at the Port of Felixstowe in less than a month

this issue

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p5p7

More Turbines at Harwich International PortHIP signs a deal to support development at London Array

p8Ro/Ro: Bigger and BetterConsolidation has seen up-scaling on North Sea Ro/Ro Routes

p12 Marine ConservationThe Proposed Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) must balance the needs of the economy with those of naturep16

Felixstowe Port PoliceHelping ensure Cargo Stays Safe

ship2shoreI S S U E 8 JULY 2011

Commercial Enquiries

Commercial DepartmentTel: (01394) 602040E-mail: enquiries@fdrc.co.uk

EditorialCorporate AffairsDepartmentTel: (01394) 602064E-mail:ship2shore@hpuk.co.uk

For further information onany of the three HPUK ports,please visit:www.hpuk.co.uk

Published by:Hutchison Ports (UK) LimitedTomline House, The DockFelixstowe, SuffolkIP11 3SYUnited Kingdom

Welcome to this, the eighth

edition of Hutchison Ports

(UK)’s magazine ship2shore.

Once again, we hope you

will find the latest news on

developments at our UK

ports; the Port of Felixstowe,

London Thamesport and

Harwich International Port,

useful, and the feature

articles stimulating.

In this edition we have features on the economies

of scale being achieved by our customers on the

North Sea Ro/Ro trades, the latest developments

in the field of marine conservation, and a look at

how the Port of Felixstowe’s police force helps

keep our customers’ cargo safe and secure.

The Ro/Ro trades between the UK and

continental Europe did not escape the recent

recession. But as economic conditions improve the two operators at

Felixstowe and Harwich International Port, Stena Line and DFDS, have

introduced new ships to improve customer service levels. We look at how

they are doing this in the feature on page 8.

The shoreline around the UK is, by definition, an area of ecological

vulnerability and sensitivity. Various designations already exist to protect

the environment in these important areas and HPUK has extensive

experience of working with the relevant agencies to develop ports in an

environmentally-responsible way.

The latest proposals will see the designation of a number of Marine

Conservation Zones to act as sanctuaries for certain marine species.

HPUK is fully engaged in the process to ensure the needs of the economy

and nature are well balanced.

Finally, the Port of Felixstowe is one of only a handful of UK ports that

have their own statutory police units. On page 16, we look at how they

help keep the port safe and secure.

I hope you enjoy the magazine.

David Gledhill

Chief Executive Officer

chiefexecutive

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latestdevelopments

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School Benefits from Dock School Funding

Kingsfleet Primary School, Felixstowe, is celebrating a sizeable donation of £2,300 from the Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) ‘Dock School Programme’.

HPH, the parent company of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited (‘HPUK’), run a scheme through which schools close to an HPH port receive financial assistance and enjoy close and mutually-beneficial relationships.

The donation is being used to fund improvements to the school’s playground, involving the addition of a climbing wall, giving the students the opportunity to interact in an interesting and stimulating environment, and encouraging them towards active and healthy futures.

The cheque was presented by Paul Davey, HPUK Head of Corporate Affairs, at an assembly at Kingsfleet School.

Mr Davey commented:

“The HPH Dock Schools Programme provides our ports with a mechanism to support local schools, and it allows the schools to benefit from links with one of the area’s biggest employers. We are committed to the communities in which we do our business, and aim to ensure that, wherever possible, we can ‘do our bit’ to help them prosper.”

Kyrsty Beattie, Headteacher at Kingsfleet Primary School, commented:

“Firstly, I would just like to say thank you on behalf of all the adults and children at Kingsfleet.The school has been working with the Suffolk Grounds service to create a visionary plan which is aimed at extending opportunities to promote children’s creative and imaginative development at play time. This funding will turn part of that plan into reality. This is an exciting time for us and we are very grateful for this support from Hutchison Ports; helping us take a step forward towards our vision – thank you.”

A number of other schools in Felixstowe, Harwich and near to London Thamesport have previously benefitted from the Dock School programme.

Primed for Action The new Berths 8&9 at the Port of Felixstowe are nearing completion. The 730 metres of deep-water quay is ready, the first area of the container storage yard is ready, and five of the massive quayside gantry cranes are ready.

The final two gantry cranes for the first stage of the Felixstowe South project are under construction in China and will be delivered later in 2011.

The first test vessels have been handled at the massive new terminal and focus of attention now is ensuring the resilience of systems and equipment that will be crucial to the efficient operation of the terminal.

Berths 8&9 will open with 730 metres of quay, the development will eventually be extended to 1,285 metres in total. Initially dredged to 16 metres alongside, but capable of being increased to 18 metres, the new facility is the only one in the UK able to accommodate the largest container ships on order.

The new terminal will also offer shippers significant environmental benefits. The state-of-the-art equipment, married with the economies of scale achieved at the UK’s largest container port, will result in some of the lowest carbon footprints per unit available.

These advantages combine with the carbon savings offered by the Ultra-Large Container Ships that will call at the facility, and the unrivalled options at Felixstowe for sustainable on-carriage by rail or coastal feeder, to provide substantial carbon savings throughout the supply chain.

Kingfleet Primary School

latestdevelopments

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Safety First

The Port of Felixstowe has made the annual award of the John Bubb Safety Trophy, won this year for the first time by an operational shift.

The trophy is awarded annually to the area with the greatest reduction in accidents over the course of a year. In the past, the port’s rail department and temperature-controlled examination facility have repeatedly taken the title, however for the first time an entire operational shift has won the trophy.

The members of ‘B’ Shift, which includes berth operators, crane drivers, internal movement vehicle drivers, and terminal managers, managed to reduce the number of accidents by 15% during the year. The trophy was presented by Mr John Bubb, a former General Manager at the port, after whom it was named in honour of his support and commitment to improving safety in the port.

David Wilson, Head of Health and Safety at Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, said:

“There is no level of accidents that we consider acceptable, even one accident is one too many. It is, however, a massive achievement for an entire shift to win this award and to achieve a reduction in accident rates on this scale, and I would like to thank them all for their efforts. It is by continuing to raise the profile of health and safety that we can improve, and make our working environment as safe as possible. The Port of Felixstowe has a dedicated team of safety professionals who work closely with all departments to help make the port a safe place to work.”

New Services Galore

The number of services connecting Port of Felixstowe with the all-important Asian market has increased with three new services starting in as many weeks in May.

The CKYH Alliance’s new NE6 Asia/Europe service began calling at the port in early May, MSC’s Lion Service commenced with a call from the MSC Bruxelles in mid month, and at the end of the month, the 367m Mette Maersk inaugurated Maersk Line’s AE6 Asia-Europe service.

From July 2011, the 9,200 TEU MSC Bruxelles-class vessels will be replaced on the Lion Service with MSC’s largest container vessels, commencing with the 14,000 TEU MSC Livorno.

The extended rotation of the AE6 service, which now calls at Le Havre, Felixstowe and Bremerhaven, brings the number of Far East weekly services at the Suffolk port to 13. Five of the services are operated by Maersk Line, three by the CKYH Alliance and two by MSC.

David Gledhill, Chief Executive Officer of Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, said:

“With an average of almost two Far East services per day, we are able to offer importers and exporters unrivalled choice and frequency to this all-important overseas market. Add to that the wide range of transport solutions via road, rail and feeder services available from our terminals, and it is clear to see why we remain the UK’s premier port.”

The port rotation for the AE6 service is now: Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha, Yantian, Tanjung Palepas, Suez Canal, Tangier, Bremerhaven, Felixstowe and Le Havre.

The Lion Service calls at: Qingdao, Pusan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha, Hong Kong, Yantian, Chiwan, Sines, Le Havre, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Felixstowe, GioiaTauro, Singapore, Chiwan, and Hong Kong.

latestdevelopments

6

Cutting Carbon

The Port of Felixstowe is celebrating after achieving a number of environmental achievements. It was a winner for the second year running at Suffolk County Council’s ‘Creating the Greenest County Awards’, the publication of its latest Environmental Report has shown a 10% reduction in its carbon footprint since 2008, and it has received ISO 14001 accreditation for its Environmental Management systems.

The Greenest County Award was presented during Climate Week, a national initiative designed to shine a spotlight on the good work already undertaken by communities and workplaces, and renew ambition and confidence in combating climate change.

The port also arranged a full programme of events during Climate Week that included staff and local students taking part in a challenge to come up with a creative solution to a climate change issue, a seminar for local businesses and organisations to explore the issues around climate change, and a trial of an electric vehicle on the port.

The initiatives all contribute towards HPUK’s ambition to be the UK’s greenest port operator. Commenting on the achievements David Gledhill, Chief Executive Officer for Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, said:

“Reducing the impact we have on the environment and offering our customers a range of sustainable distribution options is one of our key objectives. We already handle more containers by rail than any other UK port and are continuing to invest heavily in improving our rail terminal facilities. These rail options, combined with the growing use of sustainable coastal shipping services available through the port, and our own actions to reduce our carbon footprint, make the Port of Felixstowe the

true low-carbon option.”

In addition to receiving ISO 14001 accreditation for its Environmental Management systems, the port has also achieved OHSAS 18001, an Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series for health and safety management systems.

London Thamesport Welcomes New ServicesLondon Thamesport has celebrated the return of United Arab Shipping Company’s AEC1 service, and the arrival of the ARN Service of Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), to the UK’s only automated port.

The reinstated call of the AEC1 at London Thamesport marked the return of vessel operations in the UK for the Line which had previously serviced its UK business via a number of partnerships and a series of slot charter arrangements.

The AEC1 service offers fast transit times between the Indian sub-continent and Middle East with the UK - transit times of 16 days from Nhava Sheva and only seven days from Port Said are scheduled.

Additionally, the service enables the Line’s customers to book export cargo for Far East Asia with the AEC1 vessels connecting in Antwerp with the AEC2 service. The AEC2 Service connects North Europe to Far East Asia on the Eastbound leg with a dedicated Japan Feeder Service, covering the needs for a connection from Japan to Korea over Pusan. Paul Wallace, Head of Commercial, Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, commented:

‘We are pleased to have been chosen to host this new high-speed service which represents a significant commitment to the future by UASC. In the current economic climate, it is important that high customer satisfaction standards and commitment to service are maintained, and this new European service will support London Thamesport in delivering and upholding these qualities in the coming year.’

Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) ARN Service provides a connection between London Thamesport and West Africa. The port rotation for the service is: London Thamesport, Antwerp, Dakar, Tin Can Island, Tema, Abidjan (when practical), Antwerp, Hamburg.

latestdevelopments

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Harwich International Port Signs New Wind Deal

Harwich International Port has announced a new contract with Aarsleff Bilfinger Berger Joint Venture (ABJV) to act as their UK installation port for Phase 1 of the London Array Offshore Wind Farm.

ABJV is the project’s installation contractor and was appointed by the wind farm’s developers, DONG Energy, E.ON and Masdar. At 1,000MW, the project is currently the world’s largest consented wind farm and will be built in two phases.

Commenting on the latest contract, Daren Taylor, General Manager of Harwich International Port, said:

“This will be the third time that Harwich International Port has acted as the main installation port for an offshore wind project, having first acted for Gunfleet Sands and then Greater Gabbard. For a time, Greater Gabbard and London Array will run concurrently, demonstrating the port’s ability to accommodate two of the world’s largest offshore windfarm construction projects simultaneously. This latest contract consolidates our position as the UK’s current leading port for offshore windfarm development – an achievement to be proud of.”

Located in the outer Thames Estuary, London Array could eventually power up to 750,000 homes, the equivalent of a quarter of Greater London. Phase 1 installation will commence in February 2011, ending in 2012 and will consist of 175 Siemens 3.6MW turbines.

Transport Minister Inaugurates New Crane at Port of Felixstowe

The Minister of State for Transport, Rt Hon Theresa Villiers MP, has formally inaugurated the latest new crane to be installed at the Port of Felixstowe’s South Rail Terminal.

The new crane is the latest in a series of investments made by Hutchison Ports at the South Rail Terminal. These have included extending the length of the terminal to accommodate longer trains, replacing older handling equipment and re-laying some of the tracks.

Paul Davey, Head of Corporate Affairs for Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, commented:

“We are continuing to invest heavily in new equipment and infrastructure to increase the port’s capacity to transfer freight to rail. We already put more containers on more trains, to more destinations, than any other UK port, and this latest investment will help provide our customers with further sustainable transport options.”

Theresa Villiers said:

“This new crane will help increase the volume of freight traffic on our railways which will benefit hundreds of businesses across the UK who rely on daily deliveries.  “Enabling more containers to be carried by rail will also help to divert freight traffic from our roads, relieving congestion.  It also reflects our commitment to investing in our railways, which are vital to our economic growth.’’

The rail mounted gantry crane (RMG) is the most modern of its type and was manufactured by the Zhen Hua Port Machinery Company (ZPMC) in Shanghai. It was delivered in 2010, the second of two brand-new cranes for the terminal, and has since undergone a rigorous testing and commissioning process before commencing operations on the South Rail terminal.

Daily intermodal rail services at the Port of Felixstowe operate to and from Bristol, Coatbridge (Glasgow), Trafford Park (Manchester), Liverpool, Leeds, Daventry , Barton Dock ,Cleveland, Birmingham, Tilbury, Selby, Wakefield, Hams Hall, Birch Coppice, Ditton, Doncaster and Scunthorpe.

Theresa Villiers, Minister of State for Transport

8

Roll-on/Roll-off: BiggeR and BetteR

The highly competitive North Sea ro-ro market has been reshaped

by mergers and consolidations in recent times, and one result has

been a dramatic scaling up in terms of ship size on the key routes.

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Roll-on/Roll-off: BiggeR and BetteR

BIG is beautiful for ro-ro operators serving Harwich and Felixstowe – larger vessels offer economies of scale and significant environmental benefits. But that’s not all. Flexibility and clever operational design are also essential in this highly demanding sector.

Last year Stena Line introduced the world’s largest ro-pax ferries on to the Harwich-Hook of Holland route. The 62,000 gt superferries Stena Hollandica and Stena Britannica, built in Germany at a cost of €210 million each, are 240 metres long and offer a freight capacity of 5,500 lane metres, 30% more than their predecessor ships of the same name.

“Of course, when we ordered the vessels in December 2006,

the world looked very much different than it does today,” says Stena Line’s North Sea Area Director, Pim de Lange. “That means we are still down on the number of units we carried in 2007 – but we are convinced that the market will grow again, and then we are ready for the future.”

What were the reasons for ordering such large ships? Mr de Lange says: “First of all, when we ordered them the market was still growing by 4% a year. And we had a lot of accompanied traffic – and that was growing a little bit faster. We decided to go for big tonnage because of the economies of scale. The fuel consumption on the superferries is more or less the same as on the older ships, so we have 30% more capacity with the same fuel consumption.

“That, of course, means environmental benefits, too; the CO² output per carried unit is less than with the older vessels. So altogether, these ships are built for the future.”

The ‘green’ virtues of the vessels include catalytic converters, improved combustion engines, onboard recycling systems for glass, cardboard and food, radiant heat-blocking solar film windows, and other energy-saving features in cabins and throughout the ships.

Going larger isn’t a simple case of scaling up all round, of course; it’s vital that ro-ro services stick to their schedules, and that means a swift and efficient turnround in port. The superferries were built with double tier loading and discharging for a rapid turnround. “Passenger car and accompanied freight loading and discharge is better on these superferries than it was on the smaller ships with a single tier,” says Mr de Lange.

The Britannica and Hollandica each carry up to 1,200 passengers in 538 cabins, and 310 freight units plus 230 cars. In the dampened economic climate, filling that space is obviously a challenge.

There was a helping hand in the form of the Icelandic ash cloud last year, which boosted passenger numbers significantly, to a total 510,000 – Mr de Lange says Stena carried 9,000 additional passengers on the Harwich-Hook route during the ash cloud crisis. This year Stena is predicting 550,000 on this route, reflecting a revival

10

in British interest in ferry travel. Freight volumes remain under pressure but are expected to rise 5% on last year’s 140,000 units, says Mr de Lange. “And from later this year we expect to see a significant increase in the transport of goods related to the London Olympics.”

DFDS is a long-established caller at Harwich International Port with its service to Esbjerg, operating three or four times a week. Across the water, DFDS is a relatively ‘new’ name at Felixstowe, following the group’s acquisition of Norfolkline last summer – although there are long historical links between HPUK and DFDS under the Tor Line brand.

The former Norfolkline Felixstowe-Vlaardingen service continues to operate three times daily but DFDS has made some important changes, including introducing alternative ships on the route with a specific LOT trestle system for trailer securing onboard. The route is now served by the Suecia Seaways and Britannia Seaways, each with 2,700 lane

metres, and the Flandria Seaways, with 1,652 lane metres.

“We changed the ships and adjusted the frequency a little but essentially the service is the same,” says Sean Potter, Managing Director of DFDS Seaways PLC UK. “We adjusted the timetable to make it more suitable for certain traffics coming from mainland Europe to the UK, after discussions with the market. The new schedule gives us growth in our geographical market capture on the ‘other side’, the continuity of Felixstowe serving the Midlands area and south of the UK, and the opportunity to continue to develop trade from the UK to the continent.”

The Felixstowe service is complementary to the rest of the DFDS network, he adds. “There is no conflict of interest. We are looking to develop the route and are focusing on long-term development and steady cargo flow in line with our other services to the Netherlands.”

Roll-on/Roll-off: BiggeR and BetteR (continued)

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A key change for DFDS has been introducing its unique trailer trestle system, an innovative semi-automatic and manual method of lashing trailers onboard. “Central to the arrangement is a trestle-based structure which enables a range of trailer types and sizes to be made fast to the deck with the minimum requirement for lashing chains to be used,” explains Mr Potter.

The system is an important part of DFDS’s efficiency drive in order to maintain the same schedule with the capacity of these ships, he adds.

DFDS has also expanded its successful ‘shipping logistics’ concept to Felixstowe. Based on the use of decked mafi trucks and the provision of warehousing and distribution services, this concept targets large tonnage flows of industrial cargo, such as paper and steel. “This offers an additional USP for the route, complementing the day-to-day trailer traffic,” says Mr Potter. He praised

the positive approach of Felixstowe’s Dooley Terminal in working with DFDS on the changes.

He expects the scaling up of North Sea ro-ro ferries generally to continue and, indeed, DFDS is in the early stages of planning for its so-called ‘Art’ newbuildings. “This would be two new vessels with increased capacity and all the usual variable and flexible options we need so that we can move our vessels around the group network as well as charter out in the market,” he says.

“It isn’t just size that’s important – it is a modern and environmentally responsible fleet of vessels that have flexibility and capability, including loading, double-stacking and hoistable car decks as several elements. For the North Sea routes, it is about being able to optimise/accommodate different cargo types available in the market.”

marine conservation: a Balanced view

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) are to be established around Britain to protect nationally important habitats and species. Caring for the

environment is an essential component of modern business although the MCZ designation process

must properly recognise and respect the economic importance of our ports.

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marine conservation: a Balanced view

WHOSE side are you on? Just a few short years ago, the choice seemed to be either for ‘ports’ or for the ‘environment’, with the two paths inevitably on a collision course leading to confrontation and conflict.

In the 21st century, there is far more of a partnership view, with the ports industry and environmental bodies working together to understand each others’ priorities and find a shared way forward. An approach pioneered by Hutchison Ports (UK).

Over the years, HPUK has developed, monitored and supported a series of environmental projects to balance out the effects of port operations and expansion. The company is a member of the Stour and Orwell Estuary Management Group and also works closely with Natural England, Harwich Haven Authority and local

wildlife trusts and others to manage the harbour in an appropriate way.

The ports of Felixstowe and Harwich International are situated in one of the world’s most beautiful estuaries. The importance of the area’s environment and wildlife has long been recognised, with a variety of European designations in place.

However, an entirely new ‘layer’ of environmental designation is on the way, with the creation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs). To be designated under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, these MCZs will exist alongside European designated marine sites – including Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs).

European directives and designations protect species and habitats of European importance; the MCZs will, for the first time, protect species and habitats of national importance that are not already protected.

HPUK is taking a very proactive role in the process that will lead to MCZ designations in southeast England.

“Certainly it is imperative that we protect the environment but we also need to ensure adequate recognition of the economic value of certain areas, and ensure that UK trade is not hampered,” says Paul Davey, HPUK’s Head of Corporate Affairs. “We have one of the most beautiful harbours in the world but we also have one of the most commercially important – and these two things can co-exist quite happily.”

Covering the southeast, Balanced Seas is one of four regional projects set up by Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), under the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, to deliver recommendations on potential MCZ sites. It is a partnership project with the University of Kent, Kent County Council, Natural England and the JNCC.

“Balanced Seas is working in partnership with all those who have an interest in the marine environment to identify and recommend MCZs for the southeast’s

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inshore and offshore waters,” says Project Manager Sue Wells.

“We are not an organisation – we are a time-limited project set up to work with stakeholders and help them to make recommendations for the location of MCZs,” she adds. “We have a Regional Stakeholder Group responsible for making recommendations and HPUK represents the interests of the ports on this group.”

The MCZs will protect nationally important marine wildlife, habitats, geology and geomorphology. The challenge, says Balanced Seas, is to balance the importance of biodiversity conservation with economic activity. “Working with all those with an interest in the project area is essential for success.”

In this respect, HPUK is anxious to see two government departments – the Department for Environment, Food

and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is responsible for MCZ designation, and the Department for Transport (DfT), which is responsible for the shipping and ports sector – continuing to talk to each other. Shipping minister Mike Penning recently referred to a previous lack of communication between departments, specifically relating to the location of offshore wind farms.

There will be a good deal of overlapping designation in terms of MCZs, SPAs, SSSIs, and so on, but the plan is that these overlapping areas can all be managed as one unit.

It is still early days. “There will be a lot of work to look at what is already managed,” says Ms Wells. “Ports and shipping activities are very well regulated industries already and these activities will only have further regulation or restriction on them if they are damaging any of the species or habitats for which an

marine conservation: a Balanced view (continued)

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MCZ has been created.

“HPUK’s representative is working with Balanced Seas to draw attention to the importance of the ports. The Balanced Seas economist is responsible for producing the Impact Assessment which will look at the costs and benefits for each site and which will address issues relating to ports.”

The final recommendations for the locations for sites are submitted at the end of August this year, and the Impact Assessment at the end of the year. Balanced Seas will then have done the job it was created for, and the process will be taken over by the statutory nature conservation bodies (Natural England and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee).

The first indications of the new MCZs will be when Defra decides which sites to take forward for public

consultation – probably in spring or summer 2012. A two to three-month public consultation will follow.

“The important message is that these new MCZs won’t necessarily have an impact on any group unless their activity or the intensity of their activity is having an impact on a species or habitat,” says Ms Wells.

Paul Davey concludes: “We have long experience of working with environmental groups, developing our port activities in environmentally sensitive areas, and putting various mitigation and compensation projects in place. The estuary here is already heavily monitored and measured, and we have clearly demonstrated that port activity and environmental protection are not incompatible. But it is important that we continue to explain the local, national and international importance of the ports of Felixstowe and Harwich. We cannot ignore the economic side of the equation.”

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on the beat: Felixstowe poRt police

Felixstowe Port Police take a proactive approach to ensuring security and safety – and that means a good measure of traditional, high-visibility policing.

It’s no good sitting in the office, flashing blue light at the ready, waiting for something to happen, says Chief Inspector John Whitby. “We are a proactive unit. Yes, of course we react fast to any incidents and accidents in the port but, more importantly, we are out there trying to avoid them happening in the first place,” he says.

“We have police cars out around the port all the time doing high-visibility patrolling and carrying out proactive checks to secure both port and cargo. We still do ‘old-school’ policing at night – we go round and check that buildings are secure. We do checks to ensure that lorry drivers are where they should be. As a result of the robust procedures we have in place we provide a highly secure area for consignments of all types.”

Felixstowe is one of only a handful of British ports that have their own statutory police units. Formed in 1975, the Port of Felixstowe police unit has authority across the port estate and up to a mile outside the port perimeter. There are 27 uniformed officers, including Head of Police Chief Inspector Whitby, an Inspector and a Station Sergeant, and they work a similar shift pattern to that used in port operations.

Like any ‘regular’ police officers, they undertake police training and swear allegiance to the Queen. But beyond Her Majesty, their allegiance is undoubtedly to the Port of Felixstowe. “We have to be unbiased – but we are here to secure the port,” says John.

There are some very significant differences in terms of police powers, too. “One of our main tools is that we have special powers for stop-and-search,” says John. “We have the right to stop and search any vehicle leaving the premises, and to do that we don’t need

reasonable grounds. While other police must have reasonable grounds to suspect, we can do random stop-and-search, in order to check for stolen or prohibited articles.”

Under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, introduced in 2004, the port police and security officers have the power to stop and search vehicles, people and items entering the restricted area of the port. Checks are intensified if the Security Level is increased by the government.

The police liaise closely with UK Border Agency staff, as well as local Special Branch officers and their counterparts in the Suffolk Constabulary.

A busy port like Felixstowe clearly presents unique policing challenges – not least because of the constant flow, in and out, of containers, trucks, truck drivers, ship’s crew, employees of the port, employees of port-

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on the beat: Felixstowe poRt police

based companies and others going about their business.

John says there are very few arrests on the port, because of tight security and the way in which his officers deal with any incidents, not allowing things to escalate. “I would never expect my officers to be discourteous,” he says. “A bit of old-fashioned policing goes a long way.”

The port police also have responsibility for enforcing road safety, dealing with any traffic offences. Once again, the approach is proactive, including daily speed checks and watching out for any driver illegally using their mobile phone, or not wearing their seat belt. They also have powers to breathalyse drivers or test for drug use.

“Everything we do is to make the port a safer place for port employees and users, and more secure for cargo” says John.

Across the port estate there are 130 CCTV cameras, which can all be controlled and monitored by the police station.

“We are here to protect the Port of Felixstowe,” says John. “That means it is not just ‘police stuff’, but security issues as well that play a big role in our job. Because if you get the security right, you shouldn’t have so much police work to do.”

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on the beat: Felixstowe poRt police (continued)

GARY MOORCROFT

JOB TITLE: Quay Crane Driver, London Thamesport

DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE AT LONDON THAMESPORT: I primarily operate London Thamesport quay cranes, to load and unload containers from the ships. The crane cabs are approximately 40 metres above the quay and we have to land the spreader (the attachment that fits on to the container to enable us to lift them) into holes just a couple of inches wide so it takes a lot of concentration and coordination.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE OF YOUR JOB? To assist in turning a vessel around, in the fastest and safest time possible. There are a number of factors that can make that more difficult such as a bad stow or challenging weather conditions, but we work with whatever is thrown at us to do the best we can.

WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST SATISFYING ABOUT YOUR ROLE? Completing a vessel container exchange prior to the targeted completion time. It is not solely down to the crane driver – though we like to think we have quite an important part to play – and requires a number of people to work smoothly as a team. It is very satisfying when a plan works well.

WHAT DO YOU LIkE BEST ABOUT WORkING AT THE PORT? The people I work with. They have a wicked sense of humour and they are a good hard working bunch of people.

WHAT DID YOU DO BEFORE YOUR CURRENT ROLE? Before joining London Thamesport? I was originally in the Royal Engineers serving in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and UK. After leaving the forces I had a few jobs, working as a Pub Manager, Plumber, and Door Fitter before joining London Thamesport in 2000 as a Rigger / Tug Driver before attaining my Quay Crane Licence in 2003.

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portpeople

Quick

-Fire

Quic

k-Fire

Quic

k-Fire

Quic

k-Fire

FAvOURITE FILM: Platoon

IDEAL DINNER GUEST: Keith Lemon

FIRST RECORD BOUGHT: Queen

FAvOURITE BOOk: Angels and Demons

FAvOURITE MEAL: Anything cooked by my wife.

IDEAL HOLIDAY DESTINATION: When not enjoying the wonderful scenery on the Isle of Grain, it has to be Florida.