As well as hosting a fantastic group of exhibitors (below), the Port will be showcasing its brand new Marina, due to open next year as a key part of the £250 million Dover Western Docks redevelopment. So come along and meet the marina team for first-hand information and advice.

Chris Windsor, Marina Manager at the Port of Dover says:

“We are really proud of our excellent facilities and location, which make Dover one of the best known marinas on the South Coast. With our brand new site due to open next year, and more exhibitors attending than ever before, we are really looking forward to showcasing our superb services to our existing and new boating fans.”

Exhibitors include:

• DOVER RNLI will be carrying out life jacket checks, or you can go for a tour and have a chat with the crew.
• Clarke & Carter – speak to the largest yacht broker on the Kent Coast, whose new offices will be opening in Dover next year.
• Ramora UK – disposal of old flares and marine pyrotechnics.
• Cruising Association Kent – meet the largest organisation for cruising sailors and motor cruising enthusiasts.
• Viking Maritime Skills Academy – the leading cruise ship and superyacht crew management specialists, offering career opportunities and training.
• Boat-Shift Marine Transport – an established specialist boat and yacht haulage firm based locally, near Folkestone.
• UK Border Force will be on hand with free giveaways and marine information.
• Kent Fire and Rescue Service talk fire safety and offer equipment testing.
• Dover and Deal Sea Cadets – children can gain boating and other qualifications including first aid and catering.
• Wetwheels/Dover Seasports Centre – Wetwheels boats improve the quality of life and equality of opportunity for all disabled people.
• Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club – a premium yacht club on the South coast of England.
• Plus local refreshments!

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Notes to Editors:

• The Dover Marina team comprises of fully trained Berthing Masters, who provide cover in the Marina Office operating the dock gates and swing bridge answering enquires, monitoring security CCTV and admin duties.
• There is also a full complement of boatyard services and a 24/7 Harbour Patrol Launch. 

This bold move contributes to the Port’s aim of reducing carbon footprint by 5% each year, working towards a zero carbon future. It has already been successful in achieving reductions in its carbon footprint (41% since 2008), exceeding EU and UK targets to achieve a 20% reduction in carbon emissions by 2020.

Liz Fagg, Environment Manager from the Port of Dover says:

“The impact of climate change on our fragile environment has never been so apparent. As one of the world’s busiest passenger ports, it is important that we source our energy from sustainable sources and capturing solar generated energy does just that.”

The two multi storey car parks were previously above the current Passenger Terminal in the Eastern Docks Ferry Terminal. In 2016, the building was refurbished as part of the Traffic Management Improvement Project. This new roof, which includes the solar panels and new cladding is the final phase of the re-construction and will be complete in the summer.

The Port has been working in partnership with Beond energy consultants and EvoEnergy.

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The D-Day veterans – plus a carer or companion – embarked on The Royal British Legion’s D-Day 75 Voyage of Remembrance in Dover on 2nd June 2019 to attend a series of commemorative events in both England and France, marking the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, fought on the five beaches of ‘Gold’, ‘Sword’, ‘Juno’, ‘Omaha’ and ‘Utah’, on 6th June 1944.

The Port of Dover – one of Fred. Olsen’s long-standing turnaround ports – hosted a special event to see the D-Day veterans off in style. The ’40s-themed ‘Swingtime Sweethearts’ performed in the Cruise Terminal throughout the day, which was decked out in festive flags and bunting.

The Port displayed historic military vehicles from the era, including Jeeps, and the Dover Sea Cadets marched and performed a number of evocative wartime songs.      

Peter Deer, Commercial Director at Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said:

“It is a tremendous honour for us to be part of The Royal British Legion’s commemorations to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy, in what is set to be a very poignant and moving voyage for these veterans and their loved ones.

“We are very proud of our long partnership with the Port of Dover, and the enthusiastic and fitting send-off for these deserving D-Day veterans, as Boudicca follows the same path as the ships involved on this momentous day, which brought peace and reconciliation to mark the Second World War.”

Sonia Limbrick, Head of Cruise at the Port of Dover, said:

“We were thrilled to host such a momentous celebration for these D-Day heroes, before they stepped on to Boudicca for one the most poignant journeys ever to have set sail from the Port.

“Our impressive Cruise Terminal, combined with the iconic setting of the White Cliffs and the historical and emotional significance of Dover, ensured the veterans were given the amazing send-off they deserve.”

From Dover, Boudicca will first visit Dunkirk, France, before calling into Poole and Portsmouth, England for commemorative ceremonies. The ship will then follow the same route as those involved in the Battle of Normandy, travelling to Le Havre, France, on 6th June 2019, exactly 75 years after the D-Day Landings.

The Royal British Legion’s ‘D-Day 75 Voyage of Remembrance’ has been offered free to D-Day veterans and their companions, funded by the UK Government’s LIBOR grant, in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence and Suffolk-based Arena Travel. 

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Note to Editors:

For further information on the ‘D-Day 75 Voyage of Remembrance’, visit Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines’ website

About Dover Cruise Port:

• A leading UK cruise port
• Used by over 25 cruise lines
• Around 200,000 cruise guests welcomed per annum

The Royal British Legion:

• The Allied invasion of Normandy, known as D-Day, took place on 6th June 1944, and was the largest amphibious assault ever launched. More than 80,000 British and Canadian troops took part in the invasion on the beaches alongside United States Forces, in an Allied invasion Force of nearly 160,000. Another 23,400 British troops were landed by air. Supporting the invasion were more than 7,000 ships off the coast (including the famous HMS Belfast) and 11,000 aircraft. In total, British and Commonwealth casualties (killed, wounded or missing) on D-Day numbered approximately 4,300. The invasion was the first stage in the liberation of Europe from Nazi occupation, which ultimately led to victory for Allied Forces in 1945.
• Operated by Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, Boudicca is named after the British warrior queen. The ship was designed for world cruising and was extensively refurbished in March 2018. Images and video footage of Boudicca are available from The Royal British Legion Press Office.

This exciting news was revealed by Spice Girl Geri Horner (Halliwell) at a press conference in London last night and celebrated at a star studded party, which showcased a taste of Virgin Voyages’ signature Scarlet Night on-board events.

After leaving the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, Scarlet Lady will set sail first to the Port of Dover where she will be hosting a number of exclusive events for First Mates, media and VIPs.

Sonia Limbrick, Head of Cruise at the Port of Dover says: ‘We are incredibly excited to be welcoming Scarlet Lady here for her first ever preview. Set amongst the wonderful backdrop of the White Cliffs (now maybe with a splash of red) and Dover Castle, the Port will undoubtedly give her the first class welcome she deserves.’

Barbara Buczek, Chief Commercial Officer at the Port of Dover adds: ‘We are absolutely thrilled to be working work with Virgin Voyages team, who are definitely making waves in the cruise industry. It’s fantastic to see their rebellious approach to creating a unique offer and we are delighted to be part of this extraordinary journey.”

Further details will be revealed soon!

Dover Cargo Terminal’s exceptional location, efficiency and fantastic cross-channel ferry links make it the first choice for many of Europe’s leading freight carriers. Its pricing is also amongst the most competitive in the industry.

This year, the Port will be delivering one of the most important cargo projects in North West Europe, to supply a new multi-purpose cargo terminal. This will be followed by a port-centric distribution facility transforming cargo and logistics operations as part of the Dover Western Docks Revival project (DWDR).

Currently, the Terminal handles 300,000 tonnes annually, with around 9,000 container movements per year. Projected increases in cargo volumes are why the Port is delivering the DWDR project, which will provide a golden opportunity to develop the cargo business even further.

You can visit the team at their stand at Messe Bremen in Hall 4 Q33 from 21st to 23rd May.

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Notes to Editors

About Port of Dover Cargo Limited:

• Handling fresh produce, containers, project cargo, general cargo, grain and Ro-Ro
• Offering minimal ship deviation by operating at a strategic location next to the world’s busiest shipping lane
• Quickest sea route to European motorways via Calais and Dunkirk

Presented to Princess Cruises at the recent Seatrade 2019 Global Cruise Conference in Miami, the award acknowledges the outstanding performance on recycling rates and waste procedure compliance of Pacific Princess when calling at Dover during the 2018 season.

This year’s SEA award presentation was part of a bigger push by Dover to encourage cruise lines looking to minimise their impact on the environment whilst growing their business. The Port exhibited at Seatrade with a stand made entirely of waste plastic collected from the world’s oceans and beaches during 2018 – the most sustainable stand ever to exhibit at the conference and fully accredited zero waste.

Sonia Limbrick, Head of Cruise at Dover Cruise Port, said: “I was delighted to present Princess Cruises with our SEA Award, which shows our joint commitment to driving the sustainability agenda within the industry.

“The award, now in its second year, also recognises and reflects the strengthening partnership between the Port and our wider cruise line partners, shipping agents and waste handlers in working to improve environmental performance.”

The Port looks forward to welcoming back Pacific Princess and Princess Cruises during the 2019 cruise season.

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Notes to Editors

About Dover Cruise Port:

• A leading UK cruise port
• Used by over 25 cruise lines
• Around 200,000 cruise guests welcomed per annum

About the SEA Award:

• Introduced by the Port of Dover in 2017 to encourage other users of the Port, specifically visiting cruise vessels, to follow the correct procedures and maximise their recycling. 
• The percentage of recycling for cruise ship waste increased substantially from 23% to 40% in just one year following the introduction of the SEA Award.

The construction industry has a huge impact on all our lives, with most construction work taking place in sensitive locations. By working within the CCS framework it encourages contractors to better manage the site appearance, respect for the community, protection of the environment and ensuring everyone’s safety whilst also valuing their workforce.

Assessment is through a series of audits, and throughout the construction life cycle, VSBW continued to make improvements based on recommendations from the CCS Auditor, culminating in a score of ‘exceptional’ and an invitation to the National Sites Awards where they received a Gold Award. This was achieved in spite of the added pressure of having four other principal contractors working within their own compounds located behind the VSBW frontage.

Kevin Williams Senior Project Manager for DWDR said: “We have worked closely with our contractor VSBW to ensure that the site targeted the requirements of the scheme but more importantly to instil a second nature culture to automatically deliver all the elements necessary to run an efficient and considerate site.

“With over 1.6 million site hours worked to date, there has not been any reportable serious accidents, testimony in itself, and with businesses, residents and a marina community in very close proximity to the works the collaborative working has been fully embraced to mitigate impact on our neighbours’ daily lives.

“We are very proud the project came away with a Gold Award.”

Mike Rimmer, Senior Project Manager for VSBW said: “The site team have put in a huge amount of time and effort to ensure the residents, businesses and stakeholders were not negatively impacted by the construction works. The project has contributed a considerable sum into the regional economy via local businesses and various charities throughout the project duration. Our work with local schools and colleges to promote the benefits and career opportunities within civil engineering will hopefully inspire the next generation of civil engineers. This nationally recognised CCS Gold Award underpins the commitment we undertook, and ultimately delivered on, and as such VolkerStevin and Boskalis Westminster are very proud of this achievement.”

In a landmark year when the Port of Dover will open its new state of the art multi-purpose cargo terminal facility as part of its £250 million Dover Western Docks Revival development, the appointment heralds another key component of the next exciting chapter for cargo operations at Dover.

Mr Scott-Gray is currently Chief Executive at Montrose Port Authority in Scotland where he has held the role since May 2015, having overseen the financial performance and driven the strategic direction of a business handling a broad variety of vessels and cargoes. Prior to his time at Montrose, he gained significant terminal management experience working across all aspects of operations on a portfolio of seven ports for Forth Ports Limited.

Barbara Buczek, Chief Commercial Officer, Port of Dover, said: “This is a very exciting year for the long-term future of our cargo business. Since the arrival of Geest in early 2018, we have already seen a 38.6% increase in ship import tonnage and an 8% increase in ship calls. Our customers have great expectations about their future at Dover and I am delighted that we have appointed Nik, someone with the right experience to drive every aspect of the business forward and realise our collective ambitions.”

Nik Scott-Gray said: “I am delighted to be joining Port of Dover Cargo Limited at this watershed moment for the business. With such a fantastic future ahead of it, created by a platform of much-anticipated new facilities and strong customer demand, I look forward to bringing my full industry experience to Dover and delivering on its success.”

Mr Scott-Gray is due to start at Dover in July.

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Notes to Editors

 About Port of Dover Cargo Limited:

• Handling fresh produce, containers, project cargo, general cargo, grain and Ro-Ro
• Offering minimal ship deviation by operating at a strategic location next to the world’s busiest shipping lane
• Quickest sea route to European motorways via Calais and Dunkirk

About Nik Scott-Gray:

• Ran Business Development and Commercial for Forth Ports’ Scottish operations from 2009 to 2014
• Port Manager at Leith from 2007 to 2008
• Port Manager at Grangemouth from 2004 to 2007
• Previously at P&O Ferrymasters from 1988 to 2004, including as General Manager Forwarding (P&O GBE) and UK General Manager (Scandinavian Division)
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

Taking place again in the magnificent Dover Harbour and along the award-winning esplanade, there’s a host of nautical activities, demonstrations and performances throughout the day including Hovercraft, Port vessels, Dover Lifeboat and Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club yacht races.

There’s a chance for everyone to join in the fun on the water by entering a team in the Port of Dover Community Raft Race. Organised by the Port of Dover with the support of the Dover & Deal Sea Cadets, Dover Watersports Centre and the RNLI, teams will go head-to-head in their homemade rafts and help to raise funds for our supported charities, the Pegasus Play Scheme, Dover SmART Project and Wet wheels. The Raft Races will be held in the morning, within the Swim Zone area of Dover Harbour.

For more information and an application form to enter a raft and team of 6 adults please contact us at events@doverport.co.uk  Team entry costs £36 including VAT.

A wealth of new shore-side entertainment is also on offer this year. There will be a bungee run, roundabouts, bungee trampoline, crazy golf, segways, a climbing wall and giant board games to name but a few. Performances on the outdoor stage from a variety of fabulous musical acts will keep everyone on our impressive seafront promenade entertained throughout the day and into the evening, with more details to follow for additional attractions…

As usual, there will be plenty of stalls along the seafront offering food and drink, crafts and local produce as well as useful community and charity information.

All proceeds from this years’ event will be donated to our supported charities selected by Port of Dover Staff – so come along for a wonderful time and help raise funds for these deserving causes.

Port of Dover Chief Executive Doug Bannister said: “The whole Port of Dover team has been involved in picking this year’s good causes and, with more exciting attractions yet to be announced, it should be a fantastic occasion for the whole Dover community – port, town and our chosen beneficiaries all together enjoying the benefits of our fantastic seafront and harbour.”

Sue Clark MBE, Chair & Fundraiser for Pegasus Playscheme who is one of the Regatta fundraising beneficiaries said “Pegasus is truly a community charity and we certainly would not be here if it wasn’t for things such as this. We are extremely proud to be chosen and this will be a huge benefit, the children will be delighted to hear this news. Thank you very much Port of Dover staff, it is really appreciated”.

Dover smART Project are delighted that the Port of Dover has chosen them as one of the charities that will benefit from the Regatta in 2019. Laura Graham, charity CEO said “The Port have been instrumental in our success having backed us from day one in many many ways. As an independent local charity we value the support advice and encouragement Dover Harbour Board have always given us. We are thrilled this support will enable us to continue working in our community, enhancing the extraordinary lives of those who live in our beautiful town”  

Delighted to be chosen James Salmon, Director of Wetwheels South East said “With 2019 being only our second year of operating and having had such a fantastic first year with near enough 2000 disabled and disadvantaged people joining us on-board for a Wetwheels experience, we are so excited to be one of the very lucky beneficiaries of this year’s Port of Dover Community Regatta. Once again, without your support we would not be able to carry on our valuable work……..thanks to you all”

Further details will be announced over the coming weeks.