Humber ports director Simon Bird has given an update on the status of the 海角视频鈥檚 largest maritime operations, as ABP deals with the twin issues of coronavirus and Brexit.
He has also addressed the freeport bid situation as he spoke as part of a panel session within the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership鈥檚 annual meeting.
On Covid, Mr Bird assured those responsible for the region鈥檚 strategic development that operations continued.
Immingham is the largest port by tonnage in the 海角视频, and with the Humber combined, more than 60 million tonnes of cargo are handled annually.
While bulks make up the majority, with oil and biomass high, there has been huge growth in container traffic too.
Mr Bird said: 鈥淐ovid has been with us since March, infection rates were low at the outset and the ports remained fully operational, and are still fully operational.
鈥淲ith the infection rates rising in Hull and on the South Bank, we have had colleagues who have had Covid, and those who have to isolate right across the workforce, but operations - moving vessels in and out of the Humber and discharging vessels - continue as normal, and we have contingency plans in place as and when we need to trigger them.
鈥My frontline team have done a fantastic job doing what they do, day-in day-out.鈥
Turning to Brexit, he told how border control post plans were now being worked up on the presumption of a no deal, but that an early December date could determine what is required.
鈥淲e are waiting to see what emerges from the current discussions.
鈥淚f there is no deal there needs to be border control posts established to inspect certain cargoes coming into the 海角视频 and up until now, on the Humber, we have had one in Grimsby specifically looking at fish.
鈥淭hey now need to be expanded to cope with a potential no-deal.鈥
A 拢200 million fund has been established by the government, with bids in from ABP Humber for 鈥渆xtensive buildings鈥 at Immingham and Hull.聽
Grimsby has long been seen as not fully fit for purpose, based away from Immingham where the vast majority of imports arrive. There have long been calls for an upgrade, with seafood species from around the globe heading to the 海角视频鈥檚 leading processing cluster, the gateway to the retail market.
Mr Bird said: 鈥淭he government has committed to giving companies a response by December 4 in order that those control posts can be constructed and operational by July 1. I鈥檓 expecting to get the green light, and I have a team ready to go if we do get the green light, so we can have those buildings operational.
鈥淭hey will be quite extensive buildings based on the presumption of no deal and a need to inspect cargoes.鈥
Operation of the posts falls to local authorities, with a six month grace period from the end of the transition period on January 1.
While one is tied up in regulations, another aims to ease imports, exports and encourage port-centric manufacturing - freeports.
Earlier at the Humber LEP annual meeting, LEP chief executive Kishor Tailor had spoken of his 鈥渃onfidence a good case would be built for government to allocate Humber as one of the free ports,鈥 stating it was an 鈥渙pportunity to attract more investment to the region鈥.
Mr Bird said he was expecting to hear shortly on the results of a consultation as to what they could look like, with a clearer idea to the timeframe.
鈥淭he government sees freeports as very much part of its economic agenda, in terms of attracting investment,creating jobs and - importantly for us - levelling up from the south to the north.
鈥淭he thoughts are light touch regulation, allowances and financial incentives, and what most focus on, being free of tariffs.
鈥淥ur view is it should be across the Humber. We are developing our case, and we need to make a compelling bid in order to be one selected.鈥
Outlining likely allocations for Heathrow, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland out of a perceived 10, he said it had to be good. 鈥淲hen you look at the benefits, we are the largest estuary by tonnage in the 海角视频, so the multiplier effect of a freeport will be much greater than some of the other bids the government will no doubt receive.
鈥淚鈥檓 working very hard with everyone on the Humber LEP, with the private sector in the region as well, to put forward a compelling bid.鈥
