Associated British Ports (ABP) owns and operates 21 ports in the United Kingdom, including the Port of Southampton, and handles about one-fourth of the country's maritime trade. In 1962, the Parliament established the British Transportation Docks Board, which was reorganized in 1982 as Associated British Ports. After that, the Associated British Ports Holdings was incorporated and floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1983. In 2006, a consortium of investors (ABP Acquisitions) acquired the holdings company, and it was de-listed from the Stock Exchange. ABP Acquisitions is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ABP Jersey Limited.
ABP's property division is responsible for managing the Group's extensive land and property assets including those in the Port of Southampton. Issues relating to land used for port operations can involve tenancy agreements, renegotiating leases, and providing expert advice on property-related matters. In addition, ABP's property division also negotiates and manages the disposal of land and property that is not essential to the ports and transport business.
The Port of Southampton is one of the busiest ports in the United Kingdom, and it is a mainstay of the regional economy. Unlike many ports where the port facilities have moved outside the city center, the Port of Southampton is still primarily in the inner city. The Port of Southampton is the UK's principal gateway for imports from the Far East. Its natural deep-water harbor and double tide give the port capacity to handle the world's largest ocean-going vessels. The Port of Southampton is equipped to handle all types of cargo. It is a major center for shipments of automobiles and the second busiest container port in the country. The Port of Southampton is main cruise port in the country.
In 2005, the Port of Southampton handled a total of 38.8 million tons of cargo, 724 thousand vehicles, and 702 thousand cruise passengers. The Port of Southampton handled over 7.6 million tons of containerized cargo in almost 1.4 million TEUs. The Port of Southampton handled over 1.3 million tons of dry bulk, nearly 28.4 million tons of liquid bulk, almost 1.4 million tons of vehicles, and 104 thousand tons of general cargo in 2005. In 2008, the Port of Southampton handled 41 million tons of cargo and was the busiest port in the United Kingdom based on cargo volume. The Port of Southampton project that it will handle almost 52 million tons in 2020 and over 62 million tons in 2030.
The Port of Southampton covers almost 294 hectares across three main areas. The Eastern Docks occupy almost 69 hectares, and the Port of Southampton's Western Docks occupy 237 hectares. The Port of Southampton also has a reserve of almost 324 hectares at Dibden that has been set aside for future port expansion.
The Port of Southampton's Eastern Docks have total quay length of 882 meters (2894 feet). Berths 48 and 49 have alongside depth 7.1 meters (23.3 feet) and berthing distance of 100 and 120 meters (328 and 394 feet). Berth 40 has berthing distance of 130 meters (426 feet) with alongside depth of 9.3 meters (30.5 feet). Berth 41 has berthing distance of 172 meters (564 feet) with alongside depth of 8.7 meters (28.5 feet). Berths 38 and 39 at the Port of Southampton's Eastern Docks have berthing distance of 360 meters (1181 feet) with alongside depth of 10.5 meters (34.4 feet).
The Ocean Dock in the Port of Southampton has total quay length of 1150 meters (3773 feet) in five berths. Berths 43 and 44 have berthing distance of 480 meters (1575 feet) with alongside depth of 11.7 meters. Berths 45 and 46 have alongside depth of 10.2 meters (33.5 feet) and berthing distance of 190 and 230 meters (623 and 755 feet). Berth 46 has berthing distance of 230 meters (755 feet) with alongside depth of 10.2 meters (33.5 feet). Berth 47 in the Port of Southampton has berthing distance of 250 meters (820 feet) with alongside depth of 11.7 meters (38.4 feet).
The Port of Southampton's Empress Dock has nine berths with total quay length of 988 meters (3242 feet). Berths 20 and 21 have berthing distance of 258 meters (846 feet) with alongside depth of 7.5 meters (24.6 feet). Berths 22 and 23 have berthing distance of 200 meters (656 feet) with alongside depth of 6.8 meters (22.3 feet). Berths 24 and 25 have berthing distance of 190 meters (623 feet) with alongside depth of 7.1 meters (23.3 feet). Berths 26 and 27 have berthing distance of 240 meters (787 feet) with alongside depth of 7.1 meters (23.3 feet). The Port of Southampton's Berth 29 has berthing distance of 100 meters (328 feet) with alongside depth of 5.6 meters (29.9 feet).
The Itchen Quays in the Port of Southampton have total quay length of 743 meters (2438 feet) in six berths. Berths 30 through 33 have berthing distance of 263 meters (863 feet) with alongside depth of 9.1 meters (29.9 feet). Berths 34 through 36 have berthing distance of 9.9 meters (32.5 feet). The Port of Southampton's Number 7 Dock has berthing distance of 150 meters (492 feet) with alongside depth of 10.4 meters (34.1 feet), and the Dock Head (Berth 37) has berthing distance of 143 meters (469 feet) with alongside depth of 7.8 meters (25.6 feet).
Located in the Port of Southampton, the Marchwood Military Port has four berths with total quay length of 410 meters (1345 feet). Berths 1 and 2 have berthing distance of 210 meters (689 feet) with alongside depth of 4.9 meters (16.1 feet), and Berths 3 and 4 have berthing distance of 200 meters (656 feet) with alongside depth of eight meters (26.2 feet).
The Port of Southampton operates four linkspans. Berth 25 is a floating linkspan with capacity of 120 tons. The bridge is 41 meters (134 feet) long, and the usable width is 6.5 meters (21.3 feet). Berth 25 can accommodate vessels to 170 meters (558 feet) in length with maximum beam of 22 meters (72.2 feet) and draft of seven meters (23 feet), and there are no height restrictions. The Port of Southampton's Berth 30 is a wire rope linkspan with capacity of 150 tons and a height restriction of six meters (19.7 feet). Berth 30 is 63 meters (206 feet) long with a usable width of 6.5 meters (21.3 feet) and can accommodate vessels of 250 meters (820 feet) in length with maximum beam of 25 meters (82 feet) and draft of nine meters (29.5 feet).
The Port of Southampton's Berth 105 is a floating linkspan with capacity for 100 tons. Berth 105 has no height restrictions. It is 40 meters (131.2 feet) long with usable width of seven meters (23 feet) and can accommodate vessels to 200 meters (656 feet) with maximum beam of about 27 meters (88.6 feet) and draft of 11.7 meters (38.4 feet). Berth 201 in the Port of Southampton is a floating linkspan with capacity for 60 tons, and it has a height restriction of 4.5 meters (14.8 feet). It is 25.4 meters (83.3 feet) long with usable width of 4.7 meters (15.4 feet). Berth 201 can accommodate vessels to 250 meters (820 feet) with maximum beam of about 24 meters (78.7 feet) and draft of 10.2 meters (33.5 feet).
- Container terminals
The Port of Southampton has the second largest container operation in the United Kingdom, and it is one of the fastest-growing container facilities in Europe. The 86-hectare Port of Southampton container terminal, with 1.2 kilometers (0.7 miles) of continuous quay, can handle four container vessels at the same time at Berths 203-206. There is also a 151-hectare container facility in the Western Docks in the Port of Southampton. A fifth Berth 207 located at the Vehicle Terminal has berthing distance of 420 meters (1378 feet) with alongside depth of 15 meters (49.2 feet).
A joint venture between ABP and DP World, DP World Southampton operates the Port of Southampton container terminal. Handling 1.5 million TEUs per year, the terminal's primary market is the Far East. The terminal is equipped with 12 ship-to-shore rail mounted gantry cranes with an over 45-meter (147.6 feet) reach. It has a mobile harbor crane for loading feeder ships moving containers between the Port of Southampton and ports in Ireland and the United Kingdom that cannot receive the bigger container ships. The container terminal in the Port of Southampton also has more than 100 straddle carriers, six sprinter carriers, eight empty container handlers, and a fleet of small vehicles that operates 24 hours a day 363 days a year.
Over one-third of the containers moving through the Port of Southampton's container terminal are carried through one of the two rail terminals in the port. The rail terminals are operated by DB Schenker and Freightliner, and some 23 trains serve the Port of Southampton every day. The railway route running between the Port of Southampton and Birmingham's ABP terminal has been upgraded to a loading gauge of W10, allowing the railway to handle today's taller containers.
The Marine Management Organization has granted permission for the Port of Southampton to expand the container terminal by combining Berths 201 and 202 so that the port can accommodate the latest sizes of container vessels at their fully-loaded draft. The Port of Southampton will rebuild the quay to a total length of over 500 meters (1640 feet). The Port of Southampton will also dredge the main channel to 16 meters (63 feet). The work is scheduled to be completed by late 2013, and the new Port of Southampton berth will be operational in the first quarter of 2014. Contractor VolkerStevin has been selected to do the work for the Port of Southampton. Dredged materials of about 185 thousand cubic meters (1.3 million cubic yards) will be placed at the Nab Tower Disposal Ground for later beneficial use by the Port of Southampton.
- Bulk and breakbulk terminals
The Port of Southampton also handles imports and exports of dry bulk cargoes. The Bulk Terminal covers five hectares in the Port of Southampton's Western Docks. Handling more than a million tons of bulk goods per year, the terminal specializes in dry bulk cargoes that include minerals, animal feeds, scrap metal, fertilizers, marble chippings, and aggregates. The Port of Southampton has expanded the King George V Dry Dock in order add 2.8 hectares for dry cargoes. Solent Stevedores Limited provides stevedoring services.
The Western Docks (Berths 101-110) at the Port of Southampton have a total quay length of 2340 meters (7677 feet) with alongside depths of 10.2 and 11.7 meters (33.5 and 38.4 feet). The four berths with alongside depth of 10.2 meters have berthing distance of 310, 340, and 370 meters (1017, 1115, and 1214). The four Port of Southampton Western Dock berths have alongside depth of 11.7 meters and berthing distance of 110, 200, 260, and 750 meters (361, 656, 853, and 2460 feet).
The bulk facilities at the Port of Southampton include a 1.5-hectare dedicated terminal for handling the annual 80 thousand tons of fresh vegetables and fruits that move through the port each year. The Port of Southampton's Canary Islands Fruit Terminal offers cool and cold storage with temperatures from -2 to 15°C (28.4 to 59°F), and its deep-water berths can handle two vessels at the same time.
There is also a silo terminal in the Eastern Docks for grain exports, and Rank Hovis operates a flour mill in the Port of Southampton that processes about 50 thousand tons of imported wheat every year.
- Oil / Liquid terminals
Most of the 50 million tons of liquid bulk cargoes handled by ABP ports each year is imports of petroleum products and exports of petrochemicals handled in the Port of Southampton and the Port of Immingham. The BP Oil Terminal at the Port of Southampton's Hamble facility is linked by pipeline to the Esso refinery at nearby Fawley. The Esso refinery provides more than one-fifth of the country's capacity. Esso's refinery has a mile-long marine terminal that handles 22 million tons of crude oil and two thousand ship calls each year.
The BP Oil Terminal in the Port of Southampton provides storage and distribution services for refined petroleum products and crude oil that arrive by pipeline to be distributed to several refineries by sea tankers. Refined products arrive at the Port of Southampton BP terminal via ship and pipeline and are then distributed by pipeline, ship, and road tanker to customers. Heathrow Airport is a major customer linked to the Port of Southampton's Hamble facility by direct pipeline.
- Ro/Ro terminals
The Port of Southampton's roll-on/roll-off facilities handle more than 650 thousand vehicle imports and exports per year, and those cargoes continue to steadily increase. The world's major auto makers ship vehicles through the Port of Southampton, including Renault, Jaguar, Land Rover, Toyota, BMW, and Ford. The Port of Southampton is Honda's export hub in the UK.
There are three dedicated car terminals in the Port of Southampton's Eastern Docks. The Port of Southampton contains 80 hectares dedicated to the storage and distribution of vehicles, and those facilities are served by regular specialist car trains. Four multi-deck car facilities handle car exports in the Port of Southampton. The terminal offers pre-delivery inspections and vehicle-enhancement services.
The Port of Southampton has been the United Kingdom's leading vehicle export port for several years. The main Vehicle Terminal in the Port of Southampton has 554 meters (1817 feet) of quays in two deep-water berths. Berth 201 has berthing distance of 280 meters (918 feet) with alongside depth of 10.2 meters (33.5 feet), and Berth 202 has berthing distance of 274 meters (899 feet) with alongside depth of 12.2 meters (40 feet).
- Cruise terminals
The Port of Southampton leads ABP ports in United Kingdom cruise travel. The Port of Southampton is also the second busiest cruise port in Europe. Serving more than one million passengers a year, the Port of Southampton has exceptional passenger terminals that serve leading cruise lines like P&O Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and Cunard among others. The Port of Southampton is also home of the Red Funnel ferry service that has almost 40 sailings to the Isle of Wight every day. The Port of Southampton is home to four state-of-the-art cruise terminals, and a fifth terminal should become operational in 2013.
The Port of Southampton's Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal has regular calls from Cunard's Queen Mary and Queen Victoria. The terminal has a dedicated waiting area for arrivals and vending machines. The Passenger Lounge, limited to guests embarking on vessels, offers comfortable seating, a bar that serves hot and cold food as well as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, and free magazines that travelers can take on their cruises. There both short- and long-stay car parks near this Port of Southampton cruise terminal and a dedicated covered passenger drop-off area inside the terminal. A dedicated taxi service is provided inside the terminal, and there are several dedicated coach bays outside.
The Ocean Cruise Terminal opened in the Port of Southampton in May 2009 with a 20-year contract with Carnival. The Passenger Lounge, open to all guests, offers comfortable seating, a bar serving hot and cold snacks and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and free magazines that travelers can take on their cruises. The Passenger Lounge offers great views of vessels on cruise days. Short-term parking is available next to the terminal, and long-term parking is located around this Port of Southampton cruise terminal. Taxis and coach bays are outside the terminal.
The City Cruise Terminal in the Port of Southampton was revamped and upgraded in 2007 so that it can accommodate the largest modern cruise vessels. This Port of Southampton cruise terminal serves Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Fred Olsen, and Saga cruise lines. Open to all guests, the dedicated arrivals waiting area in the City Cruise Terminal offers vending machines. A new facility outside the terminal also offers hot and cold foods and beverages. The Passenger Lounge is limited to embarking guests, and it offers comfortable seating, a bar that serves hot and cold food and beverages, and free magazines that travelers can take on their cruises. Passengers can leave their luggage at a dedicated drop-off area at the end of the terminal. A short-term car park is available opposite this Port of Southampton terminal, and long-term parking is available within walking distance. There are also shuttle car parks within a five-minute drive of the City Cruise Terminal. Taxi and coach services are available outside the terminal.
The Port of Southampton's Mayflower Cruise Terminal was upgraded in 2000 to accommodate increased cruise calls by P&O Cruises. Located at Berth 106 in the Port of Southampton, the terminal has an Arrivals Lounge open to all guests that offers vending machines. The Passenger Lounge is open to embarking guests only. It has comfortable seating, a bar with snacks and beverages, and complementary magazines. Short- and long-term parking is available near the terminal, and taxi and coach services are available outside the Mayflower Cruise Terminal in the Port of Southampton.
Red Funnel Company offers ferry services from the Port of Southampton's Town Quay area to the Isle of Wight. The Car Ferry offers a 55-minute service to East Cowes. The Fast Passenger Ferry service to West Cowes takes just 22 minutes aboard the Red Jet catamarans.
Passenger ferries have operated in the Port of Southampton since the Middle Ages. The Hythe Ferry sails past the berths of the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal as they depart from the Town Quay every half-hour to make the 25-minute trip to the historic 640-meter (2100-foot) Hythe Pie to board the World's Oldest Pier Train. In 1881, the new iron pier opened with a formal ceremony. During World War II, George VI inspected the troops at the pier before they left for the Normandy landings.
- Port services
ABP's Town Quay Marina in the Port of Southampton offers 126 annual berths with 24-hour berthing assistance and security all year. The full-service berths have water and electricity, and laundry and shower facilities are available shore-side.
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