Associated British Ports

Containers

Immingham is the busiest ferry port on the UK�s East Coast and its two in-dock unit-load terminals � DFDS Tor Line�s Nordic Terminal and ABP Exxtor Terminal � handle large quantities of dry containers and tank containers. Significant volumes of fresh and frozen fish are also transported directly from Iceland on specialist lo-lo carriers, and the ABP Exxtor Terminal is now a regional centre for deep-sea container imports, enabling customers to tranship deep-sea containers direct to Immingham on regular short-sea feeder vessels.

ABP Exxtor Terminal

ABP Exxtor Terminal's two-berth layout, backed by extensive storage capacity, continues to be the focus of considerable investment. The terminal, which operates around the clock, seven days a week, predominantly handles lo-lo traffic, but also has a two-berth ro-ro facility. The terminal handles a wide range of container services connecting the terminal with Scandinavia, mainland Europe and deep-sea transhipment ports. The terminal benefits from excellent rail-connected facilities and services, and is ideally placed to provide transhipment distribution services to and from the UK's industrial heartland.
Feeder operators call at the terminal several times a week, moving containers between Immingham and the main European deep-sea container hubs.
The terminal underwent a development programme in 2005 to provide a second ship-to-shore container gantry crane, additional container-storage space, two rubber-tyred-gantry yard-stacking cranes and terminal equipment. The programme also saw the installation of 'Autostore', a state-of-the-art container location and yard-management system.
In order to support growth in the feedering business, the terminal has since undergone a further expansion programme with a �4.5million investment in a further two rubber-tyred-gantry cranes and ancillary civil works, combined with upgrades to the yard-management system.

Dry Bulks

Immingham is the UK�s largest dry bulk-handling port. Cargoes, such as coal, ilmenite, petroleum coke, titanium slag, ferrous alloys, pig iron and pyrites, are regularly handled at the port�s in-dock and deep-water riverside facilities.

The port is a major handler of animal feed and agribulk imports, and its proximity to the main European shipping routes makes it a hub for the UK�s deep-sea grain traffic. ABP has recently invested �3.26m in the construction of a dedicated agribulks-storage facility to accommodate growing shipments of imported grain products in purpose-built dockside grain storage, and to provide transit storage for export products. The port also handles significant volumes of animal feed, some of which is destined for co-firing in nearby power stations.

ABP's Immingham Bulk Park is a dedicated bulk store complex close to the quayside, offering a a range of value-added services, including specialist warehousing, bagging, blending, and 'rip and tip'. Sales administration is also provided for independent importers of bulk and break bulk cargoes of agribulk products, arriving in vessels from 2,500 - 25,000 tonnes from worldwide sources. The undercover bulk storage capacity was doubled recently, with an investment of �2.75 million taking the capacity to 20,000 sq m. A further �5.6 million is currently being invested in the Immingham Bulk Park complex, as the port's dry bulk portfolio continues to expand. This additional expenditure has enabled the refurbishment of four existing warehouses and the construction of a brand new dry-bulk storage facility, adding over 9,600 sq m to the port's current bulk storage capacity. ABP also operates a further agribulk complex where product is bagged and distributed to farms in the port's hinterland and beyond. Imported cargo is also blended and bagged at the port for the horticultural and retail trades.

Biomass fuels are the fastest-growing imports through the port with commodities derived from wood, olives, palm and sunflowers. The power generators blend these organic materials with coal to meet the renewable targets set for them by Central Government and it is anticipated that the biomass tonnages will increase beyond 2009.

Forest Products

Immingham is the UK port of entry for several forest-products companies, which import vast quantities of these products on regular services from Scandinavia and the Baltic states.

Several leading timber-terminal operators are now established at the port, offering extensive open and covered storage, timber-treatment facilities and specialist cargo-handling equipment. with terminals comprising warehouses and covered and outside storage areas.

Fresh Produce & Perishables

Immingham can meet demand for the freshest produce from around the world with the expectation that volumes of fresh fruit and vegetables will increase in the future.

General Cargo

As the UK�s most productive port for general-cargo traffic, Immingham handles a wide range of such services. The port also caters for heavy-lift and out-of-gauge cargoes, supported by a range of purpose-built equipment, services and distribution options.

Liquid Bulks

Immingham serves as a major hub for the UK�s oil and petrochemical industries, with around 20 per cent of the country�s oil-refining capacity concentrated near the port estate. One of the UK�s premier liquid-bulk ports, Immingham has four specialist liquid-bulk terminals. Immingham is also home to the UK�s largest and most comprehensive independently owned petrochemical-storage facility, with over 240 storage tanks.

Ro-Ro

Ro-ro is a major business at Immingham, and the port handles a large number of sailings each week to Northern Europe and Scandinavia. Ro-ro facilities were expanded in 2006 when ABP invested �27.5m in the new DFDS Nordic Terminal Riverside at Immingham Outer Harbour, constructed following the signing of a long-term agreement with DFDS Tor Line, the Danish ro-ro shipping line. This 21-ha ro-ro terminal has three berths on the River Humber outside Immingham Lock, and is the ro-ro terminal closest to the busy North Sea shipping lanes on the Humber.

Current in-dock facilities include two four-berth terminals capable of handling up to eight vessels simultaneously, depending upon vessel size. Both terminals are equipped with high-quality handling equipment and have extensive storage and reception areas. Imports and exports of vehicles are handled at Immingham in ever-increasing volumes through both unit-load terminals. Immingham is also home to a thrice-weekly general-cargo, ro-ro and container services from Norway, operating from a terminal comprising a 6,000 sq m warehouse, outside storage areas and access to rail-loading facilities.

Minerals & Ores

In addition to the specialised river facilities, considerable volumes of minerals and ores are handled at the port�s common-user berths.

Steel

Immingham�s expertise in steel handling is second to none; as well as receiving imports from countries around the world, including Korea and India, Immingham distributes Corus�s steel products to worldwide destinations.