Huge £30m boost to UK seaside town’s port so giant ships can visit

One of the UK’s biggest ports will get a massive boost with millions of pounds of investment to welcome huge new ships.

Peel Ports Group has announced a staggering £30million investment into the Port of Sheerness  near London.

The funds will lead to the introduction of a new roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) berth to increase cargo capacity. 

The update will mean the Port can handle larger vessels exceeding 230m in length overall, allowing more cargo to enter the country. 

‘RoRo’ cargo means vehicles are simply driven onto the ship at the port of departure and driven off at the destination, similar to the EuroTunnel system. 

This system is ideal for car shipping with the Port of Sheerness one of the largest foreign car imports in the country with around 300,000 vehicles processed. 

According to experts at AutoShippers, ‘RoRo’ is ideal for wheeled cargo and is the preferred choice of shipping for major car manufacturers. 

Top brands such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Jaguar reportedly use the system to get cars all over the world.

As well as vehicles, specially designed ‘RoRo’ vessels can also carry non-motorised cargo such as boats.

Even non-roadworthy vehicles such as heavy plant equipment can be transported as long as it can run on tracks.

The new investment has been backed by Richard Goffin, Peel Ports Great Yarmouth and London Medway Port director. 

He claimed the funds would enable the Port to “grow their offering’ with a range of industries likely to benefit. 

Richard said: “The Port of Sheerness plays a hugely important role in the handling and processing of a broad range of commodities, whether it is automobiles, paper, or construction materials, ensuring that they reach their destination without delay.

“This £30M project not only shows our ambition to grow our offering to a range of industries, it also represents the next stage of significant investment into the port’s infrastructure which will bolster our position as a leader in handling RoRo vessels.”

The new investment into the port’s infrastructure is down to an increase in demand from both existing clients and new ones.

Construction on the updates is set to get underway in March 2025 with the new facilities likely to be operational by next summer.