Increase In Port Of Dover Traffic

Big increases in the Port of Dover's traffic carryings compared to 2006 are revealed in figures released by Dover Harbour Board today.

The number of passengers using the port's ferry services to Calais, Dunkerque and Boulogne rose by 7 per cent to 2.3 million whilst the number of tourist car movements increased 6 per cent to 388,000.

There is also evidence that the coach market is returning to the cross-Channel ferries with strong growth of 11 per cent to over 17,000 movements.

As forecast by the Harbour Board, the rise in freight volumes has slowed after several years of near double digit growth. There were 577,000 movements in the first three months of the year, an increase of just over 1 per cent compared with the same period in 2006. However, a new daily 2007 record for freight was set at 9,797 lorries on 4th April - 81 lorries fewer than the all-time daily record established on 6th December 2006.

Bob Goldfield, Chief Executive, Port of Dover, said the return in popularity of ferry travel should not be overlooked in port planning terms.

"Whilst the impetus for the proposed second ferry terminal at Dover is largely based on the growth in the freight business, clearly the tourist markets should not be overlooked and we are conscious to view port capacity in terms of the whole traffic picture," he said.