25 August 2023
The team at Shoreham Port were pleased to welcome Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister for Industry and Economic Security to the Port this week.
As a former Minister for Maritime and now Minister with responsibility for maritime business and shipbuilding, Minister Ghani remains deeply committed to the sector, recently launching the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme, a new government scheme to help ship buyers access finance to buy UK-built vessels.
Joined by members of the Port’s leadership team and Board, the Minister seized the opportunity to tour two locations benefitting from the support of the UK Seafood Fund; the now completed Dry Dock facility, and Nicolson’s Marina, our inshore fishing marina. The latter project was announced just last month as one of the recipients of funding through the second round. The £1.3 million redevelopment, which is due to begin next year, will enhance our facilities for smaller fishing vessels and expand employment opportunities.
In addition to these sites, Minister Ghani was able to tour the length of the Port from the water aboard our pilot cutter, allowing her to witness firsthand the diverse cargoes being loaded and unloaded on the terminals. This offered insight not only into the Port's ongoing investments but also showcased the significant contributions and investments being made by our tenants.
The Minister was keen to hear about the Port’s sustainability plans, in line with our commitment to reaching Net Zero (scope 1 & 2) by 2035. At Shoreham Port the sustainability mission remains urgent, and we have built a robust carbon reduction strategy including measures such as transitioning to fossil-free fuel alternatives, growing our fleet of electric vehicles, and our continued work towards the Shoreham Port Green Energy Hub, a pioneering project with ambitious aims to play a proactive role in regional decarbonisation.
Sara Basset, Shoreham Port’s Deputy Chief Executive and Finance Director commented “We were delighted to welcome Minister Nusrat Ghani back to Shoreham Port, enabling us to spotlight the remarkable developments the port has undergone in the past five years. Alongside the Port’s latest projects, a highlight of our discussion was the topic of short sea shipping; we discussed the beneficial impact of moving goods around the UK on the water to ease congestion in the Southeast, and the role our port can play in achieving this.
Minister Ghani said: “I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with the Shoreham Port team this week. It was fantastic to witness firsthand the transformations that have taken place at the Port since my last visit in 2018, made possible with government support.
“There has clearly been significant investment in the Trust Port, which is committed to growing in a sustainable way. Of particular note is their green hydrogen plans; it was fascinating to learn about this pioneering project.”
Category: Maritime
