The Gateway to Europe
Port showcases new Vessel Traffic Service system (VTS) for Maritime Safety Week

This £1.6 million investment is the biggest ever upgrade of its kind at the Port and sets the highest standards for managing risk and reducing incidents, both out at sea and within the harbour.

From the state-of-the-art Operation Room, with 360 degree views around the Port, the VTS team oversees safety of navigation in Europe’s busiest passenger port, and delivers vital safety information and advice to mariners out in the field through:

 

  • A new tide and current gauge, measuring changes in sea level.
  • MetOcean System that monitors wind speed/direction, temperature, air pressure and humidity, plus visibility and swell for the first time.
  • Thermal and optical CCTV.
  • Radar masts and ancillary systems.
  • Most recently, a brand new stakeholder portal and mobile app, which delivers real time information captured from all of the above to stakeholders.

 

Steven Masters, Dover Harbour Master says:

“The Port handles around 1,700 commercial, 36,000 ferry and 9,500 leisure craft movements a year, so the VTS team has a huge responsibility to monitor and regulate this traffic. This innovative new system not only complies with international safety regulations and guidelines using state of the art technology, but enables us to roll out information immediately via the new mobile app and online portal.”

For further information, visit the VTS section of the website

Spirit of Discovery arrives in Dover for the first time

To celebrate her “First Arrival”, we officially unveiled our new multi-purpose berth 4, taking a major step towards the full launch of our Dover Western Docks Redevelopment (DWDR) in 2020.

Barbara Buczek, Chief Commercial Officer at the Port of Dover said:

“It’s an amazing sight looking onto our Western Docks and seeing the Spirit of Discovery sitting proudly on our new berth. Today will go down in history, as we welcome the first ship to be named here in a decade, and have officially unveiled the first stage of our £250 million redevelopment especially for the occasion. Our thanks go to Saga and the Dover Western Docks Redevelopment team for working so hard to bring this special day together. I’m excited to see what the future brings for our cruise business.”

Sonia Limbrick, Head of Cruises at the Port of Dover says:

“The Port is welcoming more and more cruises every year, and adding a prestigious ship like the Spirit of Discovery to our collection is only going to take us from strength to strength. Today highlights the excellent partnership we have with Saga, and we are delighted to be hosting such a momentous naming ceremony next Friday”.

The Spirit of Discovery will be officially named at the Port on Friday 5 July by her Godmother, HRH the Duchess of Cornwall, before she sets sail on her inaugural cruise from Dover on Wednesday, 10 July. This is the beginning of a series of 11 cruises in her maiden season from the Port.

For more information, visit the Saga website

ENDS

Royal British Legion Industries awarded £6,383 from Port of Dover Community Fund

RBLI support wounded, injured and sick veterans and help people develop enterprise skills, find work and build a new life after their service for the country. RBLI also provide housing accommodation, care and a thriving community for veterans and their families that have suffered with physical or mental health issues. Their programmes empower people to regain their independence; they include ‘STEP-IN’, ‘LifeWorks’ and ‘Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company’ (BBMC).

Doug Bannister, Chief Executive of the Port of Dover says;

“We are delighted to award the Royal British Legion Industries this significant contribution towards the incredible work they are doing to support the veterans that have served this country. As the world comes together to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, it’s a particularly fitting time for us to express our personal gratitude towards these heroes”

With this funding, the RBLI will build on the heritage of Dover to run six information and advice events for the hardest to reach veterans. The aim is to help improve their wellbeing, raise aspirations and address social isolation issues. Events will bring military charities, community groups, health charities, council officers and healthcare professionals together in one place. These events will bring people together, creating a positive, connected veteran community which is vital to individuals who are struggling in the county.

The impact of the Port of Dover Community Fund since it began in 2015 is significant, having reached the milestone of supporting 50 organisations with 76 individual projects through £536,203 of grant allocations. We announced at the recent ACM in May that we have made a further donation of £100,000 to the fund.

The panel will next meet on 27th November and the deadline for grant applications will be 1st October 2019. For further information or to apply, visit the Kent Community Foundation website.

Annual Consultative Meeting

Alongside substantial preparations to maintain traffic fluidity post-Brexit, the Port has been focused on its next exciting chapter, delivering the building blocks to grow every part of its business that in turn will support the local community.

 

  • Appointment of new and experienced Chief Executive
  • Growth in passenger numbers, tourist cars, marina visitors, cruise and cargo ship calls
  • Fourth busiest year in the Port’s history for ferry freight volumes
  • The importance of the Port to the UK economy firmly established
  • Over £0.5m of grant allocations from the Port of Dover Community Fund reached
  • Major progress on the Dover Western Docks Revival project

 

“The development of the Port is recognition of its importance locally and internationally as Europe’s busiest roll-on roll-off ferry port. The investment of this scale in the region shows how infrastructure can be a catalyst for economic growth and improving the lives of local people.” Jonathan Baggs, Director, ICE South East England

We look forward to welcoming you.

Tel: +44 (0)1304 240400

Email: communications@doverport.co.uk

Port of Dover development donates canteen equipment to Emmaus Dover

With a relationship spanning several years the Port immediately thought of local homelessness charity Emmaus Dover. The charity, which is based at Archcliffe Fort, is one of 29 Emmaus communities across the UK supporting a total of 804 formerly homeless people known as companions. The Emmaus community in Dover provides a home and meaningful work for up to 27 companions who have experienced homelessness and social exclusion, offering them an alternative route out of homelessness within a supportive environment.  Companions volunteer while they are at Emmaus selling second-hand furniture and household goods at its three charity shops in Dover, Ashford and Canterbury.  

The opportunity to re-equip their kitchen, which feeds 40 people a day, with hard wearing, long lasting industrial equipment was gratefully received by all.

Dave Herrod, Programme Director DWDR said, “It was important due to the location of the site to ensure that that the construction operatives had access to well prepared, home cooked food for both breakfast and lunch. Once the need for a canteen facility was less pressing, we did not have to look far for a worthy benefactor and we really hope that the equipment has helped the residents of Emmaus with their food preparation.”

Debra Stevenson, Community Manager at Emmaus Dover said, “We are honoured to receive such high quality industrial catering equipment that will last the community for many years to come. Donations like this help us improve the facilities used by the companions daily as over 1,000 previously homeless companions have resided at Emmaus in the 24 years it has been open.

Port of Dover Community Fund supports local lipreading class

This professionally taught weekly class is offered free of charge to local people living with hearing loss.  Learning to lipread can help with communication and “fills in the gaps” in conversation which hearing aids may not always pick up, leading to an improvement in confidence and renewed enjoyment of social interaction.

Hi Kent’s Debra Jones, who coordinates Hi Kent’s 25 lipreading classes said “ We are so thankful that the Port of Dover Community Fund has been able to help us in this way and that the future of this extremely valuable class is guaranteed for the next 3 years and will benefit many local people living with hearing loss”

Jenny Beacon, Internal Communications & CSR Executive from the Port of Dover said “Being able to communicate confidently is such a fundamental part of everyday life and something that helps bring communities, friends and families closer together.  It was lovely to be able to visit the group during a class and take part. Pat, the tutor talked about context of sentences and made sure she faced us with eye contact when lip-reading.  I am delighted the Port of Dover Community Fund has been able to support Hi Kent and help people with hearing loss learn lip-reading skills in a caring and friendly and fun environment.”

Celebrating Port Apprenticeships at the East Kent Apprenticeship Awards 2019

The East Kent Apprenticeships Awards aim to recognise both apprentices and those businesses and organisations providing the valuable opportunities.

Lucy was shortlisted amongst several nominees and has been doing a Level 4 Associate Project Manager (APM) course at the Port, having achieved her APM Project Manager’s Qualification (PMQ) last December.

Already an Associate member of the APM, Lucy is delighted to have been nominated, saying: “My apprenticeship has helped me get into a project management career by giving me the necessary work experience in the Engineering department, where I have been assisting engineers with large scale projects and managing smaller projects on my own, such as repairing the sea wall on the promenade. Working at the port has given me experience with fairly unique maritime engineering projects, opening up a whole new career path for me.”

Lucy’s 2-year apprenticeship started in September 2017.

The Port of Dover apprenticeship programme offers exciting opportunities to school and college leavers such as the chance to study towards nationally recognised qualifications and gain valuable work experience whilst receiving a salary.

Apprenticeships at the Port include Mechanical & Electrical, Construction Management and Cyber Security.

Setting sail on a year of discovery from Dover Cruise Port

Dover’s 2019 cruise season gets underway on 6 February with the arrival of Saga Cruise’s, Saga Sapphire.  It promises to be a big year for Saga and Dover with the arrival in July of Spirit of Discovery (58,250gt), the company’s first new build cruise ship.  Spirit of Discovery will be named in Dover on 5 July 2019 before embarking on her inaugural cruise from the port on 10 July 2019.  In total Saga will operate 30 cruises from Dover this year.

Along with the Spirit of Discovery, Dover is welcoming maiden calls from Celebrity Cruises, Celebrity Reflection (126,000gt), Viking Cruises, Viking Jupiter (47,800gt), and Phoneix Reisen’s, Amera (39,051gt). The Port of Dover will also see the first cruise ships using the new berth C, part of its £250m Western Docks Revival.  Hapag Lloyd’s, Europa (28,890gt), is expected to be the first cruise ship to use Berth C on 9 July 2019.  The addition of the multi-purpose berth increases the port’s capacity for port-of-call visits and can accommodate ships up to 350 metres in length.

In total, Dover is expecting 131 cruise calls in 2019 on a wide range of itineraries, including Baltic, Mediterranean, round Britain, Transatlantic, and world cruises.  Fred Olsen’s Boudicca (28,388gt) departs on a 168 night ‘Grand Voyage’ from Dover on 3 October 12019, the longest and most extensive sailing ever undertaken by Fred Olsen Cruise Line.  Princess Cruises, Sea Princess (77,499gt), and Viking Cruises, Viking Sun (47,800gt), also call at Dover on their world cruises. 

Fred Olsen’s Boudicaa will also be sailing a special Royal British Legion cruise from Dover on 2 June with 300 Normandy veterans and their families to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Cruise Lines calling at Dover in 2019 include AIDA, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Noble Caledonia, Oceania Cruises, Pullmantur, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn Cruise Line, and Sea Cloud Cruises.

RELATED LINK:  https://www.investindover.co.uk/News/2019/A-Year-of-Discovery-for-Dover-Cruise-Port.aspx

 

 

A20 Resurfacing Works – Scheduled Night Work 26th November to 2nd December

In order to maximise resources and outputs these works will take place overnight (8pm until 6am the following morning), for 6 consecutive nights.  The 6-day period will begin at 8pm on Monday 26th November and conclude at 6am on Sunday 2nd December. 

These works consist of resurfacing at Union Street westbound and York Street in both directions, and include High Friction Surfacing, Traffic Signal Loop Cutting and Installation Works, and Line Marking Works.

A20 Snargate Street / Townwall Street will be closed at the signal-controlled junction with A256 York Street.

ONLY ONE CARRIAGEWAY OF THE A20 WILL BE CLOSED AT ANY ONE TIME, AS SIGNPOSTED ON SITE 

The closures will also have the following effects on local roads, depending on which carriageway of the A20 is closed.

WESTBOUND A20 CLOSURES – during westbound (London-bound) A20 closures, there will be No Right Turn from A256 York Street westbound onto A20 Snargate Street.

EASTBOUND A20 CLOSURES – during eastbound (Port-bound) A20 closures, the following restrictions will apply:

 

  • A256 York Street will be closed southbound only for its entire length;
  • A256 York Street will be closed northbound between the junction with A20 Townwall Street / Snargate Street and Queen Street;
  • Queen Street – there will be No Left Turn from Queen Street into A256 York Street.
  • Worthington Street will be closed at the junction with York Street and can be accessed from Biggin Street; the One-way Traffic Order in respect of Worthington Street will be suspended to allow this.; and 
  • New Street will be closed at the junction with York Street, and can be accessed via Queen’s Gardens

 

Diversions will be in place, as signposted on site.

ENDS

 

NOTE TO EDITORS:

 

Highways England

  • Check out (Summer Advice for Drivers)
  • Members of the public should contact Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

 

Booking Open for White Cliffs Christmas ICE-travaganza 2018

The official launch date for this year’s bigger and better White Cliffs Christmas ICE-travaganza is Sunday 2 December 2018.

The historic Dover Marine Station (Cruise Terminal One, Dover Western Docks) will once again be beautifully decked out with Christmas trees and decorations and will feature ice-skating on the fantastic 400m2 indoor real ice rink, Father Christmas in his grotto and rides including electric bumper cars, chair-o-planes, mini waltzer, fun house and side stalls.

This year, a new bar will open managed by local brewers Breakwater Brewery, with some interesting and original festive offers. A tea room and many delicious food outlets will also be available for all of your food and drink needs.

Weekend Christmas market stalls will be available every Saturday and Sunday for gift ideas. Christmas wreath workshops by Daisy Moon Florist are available on 8 & 21 Dec – bookable via Daisy Moon directly on  enq-daisymoonflorist@hotmail.com

There will be a packed programme of entertainment for the launch from 10:00 until 19:45 including live music from local bands and Father Christmas’ arrival with his surprise friends at 12 midday.

Launch Day Running Order Entertainment

10:00  10:45            Swingtime Sweethearts                

11:00  11:45            Swingtime Sweethearts                 Official Opening Speech (11:45)

12:00  12:45            Stellar Talks           

13:00  13:45            Stellar Talks           

14:00  14:45            Cool Maniere           

15:00  15:45            Cool Maniere           

16:00  16:45            Gentlemen of Few              

17:00  17:45            Gentlemen of Few              

18:00  18:45            Rudy Warman & The Heavy Weather         

19:00  19:45            Rudy Warman & The Heavy Weather         

 

From 3 Dec 2018 – 1 Jan 2019

Public opening times:

Thursday and Friday evening from 17:00 – 21:00

Saturday 10:00 – 21:00 and Sunday all day 10:00 – 18:00

School bookings:

Available weekdays Mon – Fri during term time;

Contact events@doverport.co.uk

Free entry and parking available throughout the event duration until Tuesday 1 January 2019.

Sorry – No pets allowed other than Assisted Living Dogs.

This year’s event is kindly sponsored by DFDS, TW Services, WW Martin, N.T.Rix Scaffolding Ltd and E.J.Dittons & Co. Ltd.

Booking for ice-skating and Father Christmas will be available soon on www.whitecliffschristmas.co.uk

Group bookings for schools, please contact events@doverport.co.uk

For further updates follow us on:

Twitter: @Port_of_Dover

Facebook: @Doverport @DoverPortEvents

LinkedIn: Port of Dover

Website: www.doverport.co.uk www.whitecliffschristmas.co.uk