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Latest missive from Tim.
Welcome to the latest news from the Gateway to Europe. Nationally and internationally we remain a focal point for one of the biggest issues of the day, Brexit, and the need to ensure the UK’s trading relationship with Europe, our largest trading partner, remains strong. Maintaining fluidity at the Dover Straits to protect and promote UK-European land-based trade flows must be one of the key imperatives during the Brexit talks. There is no substitutable capacity anywhere else that can take the type and volume of traffic that we handle at Dover. We need a tailored solution to ensure business as usual post-Brexit, which means maintaining the rapid transit of goods through the crossings and the wider freight corridor post-Brexit.
Locally, we are now well underway in delivering our biggest ever single investment – Dover Western Docks Revival. However, we are still facing a pocket of opposition to using a tiny amount of the Goodwin Sands in order to complete it. Our community is set to lose up to £½bn of new jobs, regeneration and new business if we cannot do so. I therefore appeal to you to help us deliver for Dover by registering your support as outlined later in this newsletter – we really need your support now.
Recent organisational changes to provide a clear distinction between operational businesses and the operational services which support them are now bedding in as we work to deliver a favourable environment in which the organisation, our own business streams, our customers and stakeholders can flourish. My thanks go particularly at this time to all those working at the Port to provide a safe and secure environment as we head through the busy holiday period. Alongside our international gateway role, as we work to develop Dover as a destination, don’t forget there is also a festival of fun around Dover’s waterfront to enjoy from 26 to 27 August with the Port of Dover Community Regatta and Dover Music Festival.
As we continue to move forward on delivering for Dover and the nation, our focus is to maximise on our investment, protect jobs, growth and prosperity in support of the national and local economy, working together with our customers and community.
I wish you a fantastic summer.
Tim Waggott, Chief Executive, Port of Dover