Loss of port chief ‘will not put off investors’

Matt Jukes left Associated British Ports (ABP) yesterday as part of a reorganisation of its Humber ports to bring its operational and commercial teams under one umbrella, the group said.

As port director for Hull and Goole, Mr Jukes had led ABP’s efforts to develop Green Port Hull alongside the city council and Siemens.

The £210m facility to manufacture and assemble offshore wind turbines would regenerate Alexandra Dock, create more than 700 jobs and potentially support thousands of others, and help place the Humber at the heart of the UK’s renewable energy industry.

An announcement on whether Siemens will invest in the project is expected shortly – and it is thought this could be about £80m – but although neither the company nor Hull Council would comment directly on Mr Jukes’s departure, all parties said the scheme would not be affected.

Speaking exclusively to the Yorkshire Post, Mr Jukes said he was “shocked and stunned” by the announcement and had “given my life” to the ports.

“I’ve been made redundant and as hard as that is personally that is the situation I find myself in,” he said.

“I’ve given my life to the ports and spent most of it in Hull and Goole, as well as on Green Port, and there’s a great sense of personal disappointment.

“I have to move on now, as hard as that is, and find out what the next challenge will be, although I don’t know what that is yet.”

He added: “I’m still a bit shocked and stunned but the ports and the project are larger than any one person and they will go from strength to strength, I’m sure.

“I’m still a great supporter of the ports and the Humber and of Green Port itself, and I’ll be cheering as loudly as anybody when it goes on line.

“It’s one of life’s blows but I will get over it.”

ABP chief executive James Cooper thanked Mr Jukes for his service, which spanned nearly 20 years.

He said: “Matt has made a significant contribution to ABP, most recently in his dogged pursuit of the Green Port Hull project, which, when it is delivered, will transform the port.

“We wish him well for the future.”

The four Humber ports had been separated by two directorates, covering Hull and Goole on the north bank and Grimsby and Immingham on the south.

ABP is creating a single organisation to manage all four ports, which will be led by John Fitzgerald, who has been port director for Grimsby and Immingham since February 2008.

The group, Britain’s largest ports operator, said the move was “a response to increasing demand from customers and better aligns ABP with other organisations working to champion the region as a centre for trade and new renewable energy, such as the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership”.

It said the restructuring comes at “an exciting time” for the Humber ports, with at least £350m of infrastructure investment planned.

Speaking about his new role, Mr Fitzgerald said: “The Humber, already the UK’s busiest shipping estuary, is a fantastic location for maritime trade and is at the forefront of the development of new renewable energy.

“The great opportunity is to promote a unified service to the market.

“ABP has a great team of people working across the Humber and our ports in this region have huge potential.

“I am determined to make sure we can realise that potential by growing our business with existing customers, attracting new customers and delivering our major programme of investment, including Green Port Hull, creating more sustainable jobs for the people of our region.”

Mark Jones, city economic development and regeneration manager at the council, said: “We do not comment on the internal affairs of businesses but look forward to continuing to work closely with ABP to realise the potential of Green Port Hull.”

A Siemens spokeswoman said: “We are progressing our plans for Green Port Hull.”

Comment: Page 14.