Politics Home Article | The disproportionate benefits of backing the Port of Dover

From enabling the fast transit of food and medicines across the Channel to ensuring that manufacturers receive critical “just in time” car parts, the Port of Dover impacts all our lives on a daily basis.  

“It’s the most efficient and reliable route for conducting that trade,” says Doug Bannister, who has been CEO of the Port of Dover since 2019. “It’s a joy and a privilege but it’s also an incredible responsibility for all of us who work here to make certain that this iconic, world-class gateway operates seamlessly for the benefit of everyone. 

“Because of its scale and the implications of that scale to the economy, society and the prosperity of the nation, it is probably the single most economically consequential piece of UK national infrastructure.”  

Founded by Royal Charter in 1606, the Port of Dover is the UK’s busiest international ferry port, providing a fast, efficient and sustainable connection to mainland Europe. More than 2 million freight vehicles pass through its gates annually – substantially more than any other port in the country. 

The Port operates for 364 days of the year, welcoming around 10 million passengers and handling more than £144bn of trade annually. A third of all trade in goods between the UK and the European Union comes through Dover.  

As the government seeks to reset and deepen its trading partnership with the EU, the Port of Dover has an essential role to play in helping to deliver long-term economic growth and trade resilience for the UK. The Port is a growth-enabling asset, capable of unlocking trade, jobs, tourism, investment and innovation.  

“We reach every corner of the UK so we’re able to open up access to markets that other routes and other supply chains cannot do,” says Bannister. 

The future growth of the Port undoubtedly depends on targeted investment in upgrading and improving onsite and offsite infrastructure. 

The Port is hugely supportive, for instance, of the Lower Thames Crossing, a new 14-mile A road that will link the A2 in Kent and the M25 in Essex through the longest road tunnel in the UK.  

“It is going to provide a step change in how people travel around the nation – and crucially it’s going to provide a much more robust link between the Port of Dover and destinations north of London,” explains Bannister.  

He would like the government to commit to the dualling of the last seven miles of the A2 into the Port to ensure the strategic resilience of the route for international travel – a move that could unleash disproportionate benefits for national trade. Another ask is to assist the private sector in investing in “suitable, secure, safe overnight lorry parking” in Kent to serve freight traffic passing through the Port, thereby providing even greater reliability and robustness to the supply chains using the route. 

“Taking a system-wide view of these key infrastructure interventions could unlock exponential potential,” he says. “It would be a step change in how trade and travel between the UK and the continent works.” 

The need for both frictionless and secure borders is paramount – not only for border compliance but to enhance operational efficiency, customer experience and long-term national competitiveness. The Port has already introduced an innovative digital solution for the EU Entry Exit System (EES), an EU-wide digital border management system for non-EU passengers. A new processing facility has been built at the Port’s Western Docks, currently being used just for coaches and foot passengers, but the Port’s £40m investment is also to be used for tourist cars later this year. 

“The efforts that our government is making in improving the relationship with the EU, looking at reducing the administrative burden around things like the SPS [sanitary and phytosanitary] checks and making travel and trade more conducive for the British economy and society are great aims – aims we’ve got an interest in and want to support,” says Bannister. 

“From a trade perspective, getting closer to Europe, making these positive moves towards closer working relationships and easing the flow of trade will unlock tremendous potential for the economy here.”   

The electrification agenda is another priority. The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the EU and the UK have all put forward maritime carbon emission tax plans that will significantly affect shipping lines and ultimately consumers through higher prices on the shelves. The EU has already introduced its scheme and the UK will implement theirs from 2028 but the IMO’s global version has been delayed.  

However, because of the higher intensity of the Dover routes (130 ferry crossings a day) and Dover’s role in serving the whole of the UK, Bannister says that electrifying the route would have a disproportionately positive impact and keep prices down. He believes that establishing a “green shipping corridor” at Dover is not only in the interest of the UK economy and key supply chains but is also urgent and necessary. 

The Port has set clearly staged targets to reach net zero and has reduced its carbon footprint by more than 98 per cent since 2007. One ferry operator already operates hybrid ferries on the 22-mile route across the Channel and the Port is in discussions with another operator on the short straits route between Dover and Calais about transitioning to a fully electric service.  

“The key to us is getting an appropriate supply of commercially viable electricity to the ships,” says Bannister. “At the moment we’ve got a supply of eight megawatts of electricity into the Port but to electrify short straits shipping we’d need around 170 megawatts. It’s not clear to us when the grid will be able to supply that degree of electricity to us at a price that would be economical to use.” 

Despite the challenges it is clear that getting the right supportive policy framework in place for the Port is crucial. 

“I have a greater sense that the government is looking more favourably towards Dover being the jewel in the crown around supply chain, trade and travel resilience,” says Bannister.  

“The future for the business conducted through the Port is bright. The moves that our government is making to create a closer relationship with the EU unlock vast possibilities and the investments into key infrastructure will have a profound effect on supply chains and travel.  

“Driving carbon out of travel is hugely exciting for efficiency and productivity – and, of course, the impact on climate. And then finally, we’re walking into a whole new chapter with the use of digital and technology and artificial intelligence. The Port of Dover is just starting to leverage what these profound new tools will be able to offer to us and, by implication the nation as a whole, and that is exciting.”