Plans for a new £100 million freight-focused ferry terminal on the Humber have been accepted for examination.
The application for a development consent order for Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal will now be considered by the Planning Inspectorate, with a decision anticipated ahead of summer 2024. The proposal is being brought forward by Associated British Ports, with Stena Line set to operate from it, having signed a 50 year deal early last year. It is set to create around 200 direct jobs, supporting hundreds more in the logistics chain.
A total of three berths have been included to welcome North Sea container traffic, boosting capacity with the ability to handle 800,000 units of North Sea-crossing cargo a year, with potential for weekend passenger trade also factored in. Vessels up to 240m in length and 34m wide have been anticipated, operating on fixed schedules.
Read more: £2m logistics investment prepares long-standing operator for port growth
When initially submitting the proposal in January - ahead of a brief withdrawal and return on technical grounds last month - Simon Bird, Humber ports director, said: “We’ve put a lot of work into the design, and how vessels will operate. It is a very busy area, and the marine team have worked on modelling and are comfortable with it.
“It is a big investment, £100 million - it is long-term infrastructure.”
An approach jetty from the shore will link to two floating pontoons, with finger piers providing the berths.
Several commercial buildings are to be demolished or remodelled with a terminal building, welfare building, workshop and fuel station to feature, so too facilities for UK Border Force and new bridge and roads to services improved cargo storage areas.
A three month pre-examination period now gets underway during which interested parties can register, ahead of the formal six month examination. The Planning Inspectorate then has a further three months to file a recommendation report to the Secretary of State for Transport for a final decision, who again is afforded a three month window to rule.
It comes as Immingham Green Energy Terminal navigates the process too, with first consultations having been held into the huge ammonia handling facility and linked port-centric hydrogen production in a joint venture between ABP and Air Products.
Read next:
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Swedish eyes on the Humber as Stena Line invests with ABP
Largest vessel ever welcomed to the Humber as near 20-year record sunk
£4.8m expansion of Humber Container Terminal completes
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