Appeal to bring freight to Humber ports

A powerful delegation representing the HumberPort partnership will present the region’s case at the industry gathering, aiming to showcase the capabilities of the UK’s busiest ports complex in a seminar called HumberPort: Opening the door to the Northern Powerhouse.

It will form part of Multi Modal, the UK’s premier freight transport, logistics and supply chain management event, and will feature a number of presentations, with one from Prof Amar Ramudhin, director of the Logistics Institute at the University of Hull, who said: “The Humber is the logical choice for shippers.

“Use of the HumberPort complex minimises transportation time and distance to the heart of the UK’s logistics industry, builds greater resilience in their supply chains, and improves their distribution networks.

“We have a multi-purpose ports system within a unique estuary.

“Our message is come to the Humber – whatever your type of freight we have a port for you.”

He said the port is an open gateway to the Northern powerhouse, creating a “golden corridor” of trade which stretches across to Liverpool and which is vital to the growth of the region and which serves the growing trend of manufacturing and distribution centres moving further north.

“This will re-balance the UK economy, reduce congestion and drive down logistics costs.”

The seminar, part of a three-day event at the NEC in Birmingham, will set out the Humber’s strategic advantages, including access within four hours’ drive time to 75 per cent of the UK’s manufacturing facilities and 40 million people.

Another presentation will be made by Peter Aarosin, chief executive of logistics business Danbrit and ports operator RMS Group, who said it made business sense for shippers to choose the Humber as their entry point to the UK.

As well as the opportunity to draw more cargo into the estuary, he said the Humber offered an attractive prospect for investment linked to increased imports

“We have the largest available land banks of any port or estuary in the UK and excellent transport links, so there is a major opportunity for manufacturers and distributors to build their distribution centres on the banks of the Humber and also for the Humber to attract added-value industries.”

The HumberPort partnership is trying to build on the momentum achieved by the branding of the Humber as the ‘Energy Estuary’ following major investment from Siemens.

Prof Ramudhin said the Multi Modal event is an excellent opportunity to promote the Humber’s vital role in the growth of the northern economy.

“With the Humber on the east coast and Liverpool on the west, you have end to end connectivity.”