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Work on £2.76m Investment at Port of Newport Begins
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
Work has started on a £2.76m investment project to redevelop Atlantic Shed at the Port of Newport, Wales, as part of a £10m scheme by the Associated British Ports (ABP).
In the last 18 months, the ABP has aimed to help the port accommodate growing volumes of cargo.
ABP is the owner and operator of the Port of Newport and has appointed a local construction contractor, Andrew Scott, to deliver the project. Once finished, it will provide an additional 7,200 square metres of covered storage for the port, mainly for the steel industry to use.
The Port of Newport provides 3,000 local jobs and contributes £186m per year to the Welsh economy. It is the leading general cargo port in Wales and the second largest conventional steel port in the UK.
In 2014 alone, the port dealt with 1.85m tonnes of cargo, a rise of over 20% compared to 2013.
There was a substantial growth in the amount of steel imports and exports, as well as the agricultural sector, with the handling of products such as fertiliser, grain and animal feed also increasing.
Director of ABP South Wales, Matthew Kennerley, explains the investment: “The Port of Newport is regarded as a major port within south Wales, but also in a UK-wide context due, in part, to its ability to handle deep sea vessels of up to 40,000 tonnes.
“It supports the manufacturing, construction and agricultural sectors across the UK and is a crucial hub for Welsh and UK industries who want to access growing deep sea markets across the world.
“We are committed to ensuring that our facilities are fit-for-purpose and able to accommodate greater cargo volumes and adapt to the increasing commercial demands of our existing and potential customers.
“We are pleased to have appointed a local supplier to redevelop Atlantic Shed, ensuring that our links with the local community remain as we continue to evolve our operations to meet an ever-changing marketplace.”1
Managing Director of Andrew Scott, Mark Bowen, states: “We are delighted to have been appointed principal contractor for the redevelopment of Atlantic Shed, which reinforces our long standing relationship with ABP.
“The project also allows us to sustain our commitment to creating employment and training opportunities in Newport, having previously completed a new rail bridge for ABP, the new stand at Rodney Parade, the 2010 Ryder Club House at the Celtic Manor and Celtic Springs Business Park.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with ABP and playing our part in providing social and economic benefits to Newport.”1
The Port of Newport has two docks, the north and south, and encompasses a water area of 125 acres and land of 685 acres. Its tenants include those from the steel, construction, agriculture, manufacturing and power generation sectors.
Other investment projects at the port in the past 18 months include £3.3m on renewable energy, £1.7m on a new railway bridge, £1.6m on a new mobile harbour crane and £1.1m on quay strengthening work.
