The funds will be used by the Dover Job Club, part of the Community Investment Department, which provides local people with important help and advice on employment and housing.

This donation has already made a huge difference to the service, paying for four more laptops that will be used by local residents to research and apply for jobs. It has also enabled the group to employ a special employment advisor, who will provide continuous professional support during the Dover Job Club’s opening hours of 10am – 2pm, once a week.

Jenny Beacon, CSR and Internal Communications Executive at the Port of Dover said:

“We were really pleased to offer the Southern Housing Group this funding recently, and I’m delighted that we are already seeing the great impact this is having on their service. The donation is clearly helping the Dover Job Club provide a higher level of support to the community, which is what the Fund is all about”.

Southern Housing Group has 28,000 properties across the South, with 8,000 of those in Kent. It provides a range of tenures, social housing, affordable rents and intermediate and shared ownership schemes.

Sarah Hampton, Employment Skills Officer at Southern Housing Group Limited said:

“I set up the job club back in 2016 and have been overwhelmed with the support received from other agencies and partners in Dover. Together, we have been able to offer this weekly support for residents and supported over 35 people into work in the last year alone. The funding has been essential to us, enabling the service to continue to meet the needs of customers.”

For more information, and to hear success stories and case studies please contact Sarah Hampton, Employment Skills Officer at Southern Housing Group – sarah.hampton@shgroup.org.uk

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On 1st November the Port of Dover became the first port in the country to be a granted its own legislation for the restriction of flying drones in or over the Port.

The Port made the application, which has been granted by the UK Government, because it is a site of critical national infrastructure. It was therefore decided that it was in the interest of public security to make the order.

The order means that there is a flight restriction of 1000ft above sea level and a 2.25 mile radius covering the Port’s estate for unmanned aircraft (typically known as drones). This map shows the area in more detail.

*Unmanned aircraft operating with the permission of Port of Dover Police are exempt from this order. Permission will be granted on a case by case basis.

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*Image – the Port’s CEO Doug Bannister (right to left) with George Freeman MP, Henry Hill, Assistant Editor of ConservativeHome and James Hookham, Deputy CEO of FTA.

Addressing a packed audience, the panel of transport leaders reiterated how vital it is for everyone to work together so that cross-channel trade can flow freely via the most economic route to market post Brexit and beyond.

They discussed how the Port and its partners are working hard together to ensure that Dover, as Britain’s “just-in-time trade conveyor belt” continues to operate smoothly. Doug explained that “Dover’s success is Britain’s success” and that the Port has an instrumental role in ensuring shops are full, factories busy and prices low for consumers. 

Another of the key take outs from the event was George Freeman MP thanking both the Port and the FTA for the important steps they have taken already to help transport businesses prepare for Brexit. Doug Bannister continued to share his confidence that Dover, the ports of Calais and Dunkirk, plus the ferry operators are “100% ready for Brexit”.

Doug went on to explain that the Port of Dover has a proven ability to clear backlog and manage disruption more than anywhere else because of its capacity, frequency and efficiency. Hence, Port of Dover has a distinct role in recovery and getting trade back on line.

With the government worse-case scenario assumption of 50% drop in Dover Straits volumes, Doug also explained that could be £1 billion per week in lost trade to both UK and Europe. This should focus the minds of those involved on both sides of the Channel and highlights the importance of continued preparations to ensure trader readiness to keep the traffic moving.

James Hookham, Deputy CEO of the FTA went on to praise the Port’s Brexit preparations and reassured the audience that the logistics industry has been working extremely hard to keep Britain’s trade flowing and continues to do so.

The Port continues to push on with its Brexit preparations, and will be the headline sponsor for the FTA’s Brexit Readiness Conference on Friday, which is another major opportunity for key players to come together and ensure that collectively, we are prepared for 31st October.

Watch our latest Brexit preparedness animation, which was unveiled at The Conservative Party Conference.

https://youtu.be/oaLSvOwXR_E

Two new 230-metre super-ferries – the largest ever to sail between Dover and Calais – will be operational by 2023, with options to build two further vessels by 2024. The major investment will secure P&O Ferries’ position as the leading provider of transport for people and goods between Britain and the Continent.
 
Janette Bell, Chief Executive of P&O Ferries, said: “These will be the most sustainable ships ever to sail on the English Channel, providing the best ever customer experience and setting new standards for reliability and cost efficiency.”
 
“Together with our freight and overnight routes on the North Sea, the new ships will offer customers travelling between Britain and Europe an unrivalled range of services connecting sea and land. They are designed to secure P&O Ferries’ position as a vital part of Europe’s transport infrastructure into the 2040s.” 
 
Robert Woods, Chairman of P&O Ferries, added: “This major investment in a new generation of superferries is a powerful testament to the commitment of DP World, our owner, to enable trade flows between Britain and Europe by providing first class shipping capacity for many years to come.” 
 
Major innovations of the new super-ferries will include:
 
• Cutting fuel use by 40 per cent through a combination of fuel and battery propulsion. The relationship between the engines and the batteries will be like the relationship between the sun and a solar panel. All surplus energy generated by the engines will be stored in the battery. This will enable the engines to be run at the optimum level, with the battery charging when excess energy is being created and discharging when the ship requires peaks of power.
 
• The heat recovery system saves fuel which reduces the vessel’s carbon footprint. The heat recovery system saves fuel and reduces the vessel’s carbon footprint by using a steam system to provide heating for ULSFO fuel heaters, fuel tanks, FO/LO purifier heaters and HVAC system reheating. In addition, a heat pump will be used for HVAC system preheating, domestic hot water, machinery rooms and technical spaces below deck 8.
 
• Future proofing anticipates the ‘zero carbon emissions ship’. The ship is designed with the capacity to be carbon neutral in the future on the twin assumptions that there are more electric shore charging stations in ports and batteries.

• A double-ended design and two bridges on the ship, meaning that there is no need for it to turn around. The captain and senior officers will simply walk to the other end of the ship and navigate from the second bridge on the return leg. This will save seven minutes of time on both the outbound and return journeys and one ton of fuel, a sixth of the amount used on the entire 21-mile crossing.
 
• Outside deck areas to provide viewing platforms of the White Cliffs of Dover. The ships are designed to provide unrivalled views of one of the most famous maritime landmarks in the world – the White Cliffs of Dover The vessel has in-built observation windows and there will be an outside deck area with 1,550 square metres of space – three quarters of the size of Trafalgar Square.
 
• Panoramic sea views for passengers. The passenger decks 8 and 9 have been designed with double height windows running around the entirety of the middle of the ship. These will have the effect of flooding the interior of the ship with natural light and provide spectacular sea views.
 
• A power management system to close down parts of the ship when not in use. During peak summer season the ship will carry 1,500 people. However, during off-peak sailings, up to two thirds of the ship can be closed and the power management system will use innovative? software to turn off the lighting and ventilation in empty areas as well as optimizing the utilization of engines, batteries and energy recovered from waste heat. 
 
• Revolutionary new shape of hull for the English Channel and azimuth thrusters which increase manoeuvrability of the ship. The hull will be far broader than that of the ferries they replace on the Channel, making it feasible to have two azimuth thrusters at each end of the ship which will improve the vessel’s manoeuvrability, help drive it through the water and eliminate the need to turn around in port.

The naval architects for the project are OSK-ShipTech A/S.
 
P&O Ferries is a leading pan-European ferry and logistics company, sailing 27,000 times a year on eight major routes between Britain, France, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Holland and Belgium. It operates more than 20 vessels which carry 8.4 million passengers and 2.3 million freight units every year.   Together with its logistics business, P&O Ferrymasters, the company also operates integrated road and rail links to countries across the continent including Italy, Poland, Germany, Spain and Romania, and facilitates the onward movement of goods to Britain from Asian countries via the Silk Road. P&O Ferries is part of DP World, a leading enabler of global trade and an integral part of the supply chain.  

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Josephine McCartney, Chief Executive, Kent Community Foundation, said:

“Kent Community Foundation was delighted to award a grant to support Bright Shadow’s Zest Dover initiative to offer people with dementia a range of creative activities to promote self-expression, social interaction and active participation.”

This project delivers weekly creative Zest sessions for people living with dementia and their families in the Dover area every Thursday morning at The Age UK Dover Riverside Centre. Participatory sessions led by a range of highly skilled professional artists and co-curated by members of the group, provide people living with dementia and their families with a voice and a safe space to express themselves and improve their wellbeing. Participants are able to suggest themes, art forms and activities, input ideas into the creative planning meetings and have enjoyed sessions with writers, theatre-makers, visual artists and musicians so far this year.

Clare Thomas, Bright Shadow Charity Manager said:

“Thanks to support from Kent Community Foundation and the Port of Dover Community Fund, we can provide these stimulating creative sessions and support local people living with dementia and their families to live well and to enjoy new experiences as equals together in the here and now.”

Jenny Beacon, CSR Executive at the Port of Dover said:

“I was delighted to visit Bright Shadow and experience first-hand the wonderfully creative activities involved in the Zest Dover project. This project has such a positive impact on the wellbeing of those living with dementia, and this is something that the Port is really pleased to support.”

The Dover Zest group also recently enjoyed a visit from Dover Mayor Gordon Cowan and Town Sergeant Mr David Hunt-Cooke who appreciated what Zest offers the local community every week. The visit coincided with celebrations of Bright Shadow’s ten year anniversary as an arts organisation.

For more information on attending Zest, visit www.brightshadow.org.uk or call 01227 467272.

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You can now access real time schedules, vessel movements and up to the minute weather and information at your finger tip.

For Android and iOS, the PoD Port Information app is free and available to download now. No login is required, ensuring easy and efficient access. Search for Port of Dover in iOS, or click here to download for Android.

Steven Masters, Harbour Master says:

“The new PoD Port Information app is a vital tool for all of our marine stakeholders across the business – it gives real time, instant access to important navigational and weather information and updates within the Port.

This app is the final stage of a major £1.6m overhaul of the Port’s VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) system, which is the biggest upgrade of its kind. Combined with our new state of the art operations room, it shows that as a leading port, we are constantly evolving and using the latest cutting-edge technology to communicate with mariners.

The PoD Port Information app will continue to develop as our business develops, so the opportunities will be endless”

Many of the features are the same as the VTS Officer’s view at Port Control:

• Live Shipping Movements – current traffic and the next three hours of movements within the Port.
• Weather – weather in the Port, which is updated every minute.
• Map – a live feed showing vessels in the Port and Channel.
• Events – this is still in development, but will include Local Notices to Mariners in the near future.

For more information about Port of Dover VTS, click here

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Shortlisted in the 2019 ESPO (European Sea Ports Organisation) awards, FTA (Freight Transport Association) Logistics Awards and most recently, the first ever Maritime UK Awards, the Port is leading the way with its thriving and forward-thinking business.

Doug Bannister, Chief Executive of the Port of Dover said:

“2019 is a huge year for us – we are a constantly evolving, major UK port, but there has never been a more prominent time to ensure that our businesses and operations are top class and innovative to keep up with the demands of an ever-changing environment.

We are delivering some of the biggest projects in our history this year, so I’m delighted that our drive for ever greater success as the port of choice has been recognised on a national and global scale through a variety of awards within the sector. With new infrastructure and a highly talented and diverse team, I’m sure that we will provide our customers with endless opportunities in the future.”

The Port has been selected as a finalist amongst many influential companies in the following awards categories, with the winners announced this autumn/winter:

• The first ever Maritime UK awards for both International Trade and Sustainability.
• The only UK Port to be shortlisted in the ESPO Award 2019 (European Sea Ports Organisation), which celebrates port and community integration.
• The Water Business of the Year and Diversity categories in the FTA Logistics Awards (Freight Transport Association).

With much success already, the Port will continue to push forward and set the standard with its ever evolving business in the years to come.

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• 2019 also sees the completion of the first stages of the Dover Western Docks Revival, a £250 million development that is transforming the western part of the Port and providing new growth opportunities across the ferry, cruise, cargo, marina and property businesses.
• Incorporating a state of the art refrigerated cargo terminal, the new facilities follow recent success in Port of Dover Cargo Ltd becoming an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) for imports and exports, having been granted an official, internationally recognised quality mark for both customs simplification and security and safety.
• The Port also hosted Saga Cruises’ newbuild Spirit of Discovery and its naming ceremony on one of the brand new western docks berths in the presence of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

Julian Bird, Hydrography and Small Craft Senior Coxwain is part of our small but experienced team of seafarers known as the Harbour Patrol Launch, who operate three vessels that patrol the harbour and respond to any emergency situation 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

The Port is situated at the narrowest point of the English Channel and is one of the busiest international seaways in the world, used by over 400 commercial vessels daily, so this is no mean feat.

Firstly, he checks over the boat and prepares it for its circuit around the harbour.