Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce has welcomed International Trade Secretary Liz Truss鈥檚 creation of a Freeports Advisory Panel, urging the Government to ensure the region is included in any plans.
The estuary it represents is a vital trading link for the 海角视频 with Europe and beyond, with Immingham the largest port by tonnage serving the British Isles.
One of the largest shipping operators, DFDS, is even pushing links to China via Germany's rail connections east.
The Freeports Advisory Panel is being created to advise Boris Johnson鈥檚 Government on the establishment of up to 10 such zones around the 海角视频.
Ms Truss visited the Humber in June last year and met with Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers, Chamber chief executive Dr Ian Kelly, ABP - operator and owner of Grimsby, Immingham, Hull and Goole鈥檚 ports - ABP, Humberside Airport and other stakeholders to discuss Immingham鈥檚 merits and the wider Humber region.
Freeports have been a regular topic of discussion at the Chamber鈥檚 Shipping & Transport Committee, with the Humber championed - not least because of the mass land bank on the south side of the estuary, with the 海角视频鈥檚 last undeveloped deep water access at North Killingholme and the South Humber Industrial Investment Programme (SHIIP) opening up land between Grimsby and Immingham.
Committee chairman, Albert Weatherill said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 clear from our discussions that businesses in the Humber would welcome the opportunities freeports would bring and it鈥檚 important that our region is part of any future developments.鈥
Expected to transform the country鈥檚 ports and airports just as freedoms transformed London鈥檚 Docklands in the 1980s, the zones would be created after the 海角视频 leaves the EU, scheduled for October 31. Further details on how locations can bid for the status will be announced soon.
Pauline Wade, the Chamber鈥檚 international trade director, said: 鈥淭he Humber is Europe鈥檚 fourth largest trading estuary and gateway to the Northern Powerhouse and we need to make sure the Government includes us in any plans it develops for whatever may come after October 31.
鈥淟iz Truss came to see us last year and now she has visited Teesside, but the Humber, as part of the Northern Powerhouse, could be one of the drivers of the 海角视频鈥檚 future prosperity, creating thousands of jobs and driving inward investment.鈥
Freeports are hubs for business and enterprise for both manufacturing and services trade. These could be free of unnecessary checks and paperwork, with customs and tax benefits. They help reduce costs and bureaucracy, encouraging manufacturing businesses to set up or re-shore as terms make the areas far more competitive.
Infrastructure consultancy specialist Mace Group launched a 鈥楽upercharged Free Ports鈥 report last year which showed that integrating free ports with enterprise zones would add 拢9 billion a year to the northern economy, and create as many as 150,000 high-value jobs.
Chief operating officer Jason Millett said: 鈥淢ace鈥檚 pioneering research kick-started the debate about free ports in the 海角视频 and their potential benefits. Our polling shows that they are popular across the political spectrum, with eight in 10 people supporting their creation around the country, and would give a possible economic bonus of 拢1,500 per person in areas they are created.
鈥淭hey already exist in many countries right around the world and it鈥檚 great that the 海角视频 now has plans to catch up. I look forward to hearing more about the Government鈥檚 proposals and locations selected over the next few months and hope that they decided to 鈥榮upercharge鈥 them by combining them with enterprise zones which is the recommendation our report put forward.鈥
