The post you are reporting:
Alexander, you may believe what you want about what has been made clear by Government departments. They have made it clear, that's a fact.
Labour told DHB to re-examine their corporate governance and ownership structure in 2008, the DHB were also told that, should they decide on making major changes and transferring to the private sector, the Government would look kindly on any proposed changes. DHB presented their proposals to the then Labour Government in December 2009 and the public and other stakeholders got to hear about parts of their proposal in early 2010 with further details and amendments in July/August 2010. BG and his team were convinced that they would be successful in March 2010 and remained so until the appearance of the DPPT alternative. If the only opposition had been 'no the privatisation, transfer it for free to the DDC' then 100% the port would already have been sold, BG would have eaten you alive.
The sale is out there, DPPT are trying to make sure that it is Dover and the surrounding area that benefit and not the DHB executive and a small number of remote equity shareholders, we didn't ask for it. And round we go again.
Ed, oddly enough other ports around the world are perfectly capable of attracting new cargo and business streams to their facilities that had previously been considered the function of the shipping lines. My customers' customers are also my customers. A change from sitting back and taking money from the ferry companies for the results of their marketing efforts, to actively marketing the port to freight originators will have some surprisingly good results. But that is just part of the story, the General Cargo terminal in Dover is currently operating above capacity and has no possibility for further growth where it is, there are more opportunities for growth in this sector. There are also other business sectors that the port could serve, but has not even approached as far as I can tell, including the high growth Blue Energy sector, which would serve to promote growth and diversity at the port.
As I have previously said, the DHB 30yr Masterplan is no longer valid or relevant to the changed global logistics market in which we now find ourselves and is in urgent need of a complete review. One of the very first tasks for the new team under DPPT will be to conduct such a review and begin building, modification to serve new market segments, allow expansion of General Cargo and Container, and further growth in Ro-Ro freight with a growing unaccompanied component (the move in this direction is indicated by changing modal transport patterns on the mainland already and we don't have to look too far afield to see other ports in our port range preparing for an acceleration of this change). Efficient Ro-Ro operations are, in the end, achieved through efficient traffic management landside connecting with efficient Vessel Traffic management seaside, the review of the masterplan will consider lay out how combinations of measures both landside and seaside and mixed modal handling facilities will deliver growth and efficiency.
I'm off to Egypt fairly soon to design a new port terminal, freight logistics park and intermodal corridor connections as part of the EU Motorways of the Seas project and I need to do my preparation work, so won't be posting for a bit.