Celebrating 110 years of the UK’s Port of Immingham

Associated British Ports (ABP), the largest port group in the UK, opened the Port of Immingham to the public on Saturday 23 July, as it celebrated its 110th anniversary.

Immingham, the largest of the four Humber ports by volume of tonnage, was officially opened on 22 July 1912 by HM King George V and Queen Mary.

The 1,230-acre site was originally built for the export of coal from the Derbyshire and Yorkshire coalfields and was designed by Sir John Wolfe Barry, who built Tower Bridge, London. Today it is home to the Humber International Terminal (HIT) and the biomass railroad facility which is part of the Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal (IRFT), Immingham Container Terminal (ICT), and Immingham Bulk Terminal (IBT).

Simon Bird, Regional Director in the Humber said: “We’re celebrating Immingham and how great it is as a port and where it sits nationally and globally. This weekend [was] special because we’ve spent two years in a pandemic and it’s an opportunity to showcase our world-class facilities.

“People ]got] a glimpse in to the work being done and the key part the port plays in the UK economy and the vital part it plays in keeping the country’s lights on. It’s a rapidly expanding port as it responds to global markets, and I think many [were] amazed at what happens here.

“This open day was also a chance to share with people our history and strong connection to the town of Immingham, which developed because of the port..”

The free tours commenced from the Immingham Civic Centre, where people were greeted by ABP representatives, took refreshments, and learned more about the port before starting the tour, including a look at the world’s largest hydraulic crane, which arrived in April.

There was also an opportunity to learn about its history at Immingham Museum, which ABP supports, and visit the Tin House, built to house those who helped construct the port. There was time to visit The County Hotel, home to a museum dedicated to Lord Louis Mountbatten, Admiral of the Fleet in the Second World War, when Immingham was the base for the fleet.

ABOUT ABP HUMBER ABP Humber Ports complex form the UK’s busiest trading gateway. The four ports of Immingham, Grimsby, Goole, and Hull handle more than 58mt (million tonnes) of cargo between them each year worth approximately £75 billion. Across the Humber, the ports support 34,900 jobs and contribute £2.5 billion to the UK economy.

ABP Humber’s major investment programme ensures the ports offer state-of the-art cargo handling infrastructure and equipment, alongside a highly skilled team who can handle a vast array of cargo safely, efficiently and sustainably.

ABP Humber works collaboratively to build long-term partnerships and deliver the right supply chain solutions for customers, including value-added services and new facilities tailored to suit their business needs.

Port Operations are complemented by the Pilotage Service and Vessel Traffic Service which ensure vessels are safely navigated through the Humber Estuary.

ABP Humber offers 364 hectares of development land across its port locations capable of attracting investment and delivering transformational benefits for the economy both locally and nationally.

The ports are all part of the new Humber Freeport, which offers three tax sites with an exceptionally business-friendly tax and regulatory environment for potential manufacturing investors.

ABP Humber supports its local communities. The ABP Humber Coastal Half Marathon and 5k is now in its sixth year and complements ABP’s race sponsorship across the country.

The Port of Immingham, the largest UK port by volume of tonnage, handles more than 46mt per annum.

ABOUT ABP

ABP, the UK’s leading ports group is Keeping Britain Trading with 21 ports and other transport-related businesses, creating a unique national network capable of handling a vast array of cargo. It is driving growth, contributing £7.5 billion to the UK economy every year and supporting over 119,000 jobs. The current investment programme promises to further increase ABP’s contribution to regional economies around the UK. ABP is also an essential partner for the offshore wind industry, providing operations and maintenance (O&M) for over 50% of the sector’s activity, as well as investing in infrastructure to realize future renewable energy generation.

ABP in numbers: v ~ 90 million tonnes of cargo handled each year; v 5,000 hectares of port estate owned; v 1,000 hectares of open storage; v 1.4m2 million of covered storage; v 87km of quay; v 1.5 million vehicles every year; v a quarter of the UK’s rail freight generated; and v > £55 million investment made in low emission and renewable energy generation technologies.