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UK Major Ports Group

UK Major Ports

The UK Ports Industry

The UK ports industry handles 95% of UK import and export by volume - about 500 million tonnes of freight per year - and around 22 million international passengers pass through UK ports each year. Despite the large number of ports in the UK, much of the freight traffic is concentrated among a comparatively small percentage, with the top 20 ports accounting for 88% of the total.

There are three main models of port ownership in the UK:

  • Private ownership - This group includes ranges from ports owned by international groups (eg DP World and Hutchison Whampoa) to ports owned by private companies (eg the Bristol Port Company). The Government has no ownership interest in any of the ports in this sector, and all of their investment is privately financed on a commercial basis. All but two of UKMPG’s member ports belong in this category, which accounts for some two-thirds of the total tonnage handled in the UK.
  • Trust ports - Trust ports, including the Port of London Authority and Belfast Harbour Commissioners, are independent statutory corporations managed by a board of trustees. They operate on a quasi-commercial basis, but they do not pay dividends as they have no shareholders. Any profits they make are retained in the undertaking. Trust ports operate entirely financially independently of Government. The trust ports sector accounts for about 25% of total tonnage.
  • Local authority owned ports.

Some 118,000 people are directly employed in UK ports. In addition to being important modal hubs in the country’s transport system, many ports are centres of local economic activity. Industries such as oil refineries and power stations as well as a range of businesses are located in or near ports. Ports themselves are increasingly diversifying their activity into logistics and other value-added services. In 2013 the ports sector paid £2 billion in taxes into the UK exchequer and generated £7.7 billion in gross value added for the UK economy, according to a study by Oxford Economics.

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Events

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Recent News

Commitment to Sustainable Freeports

Commitment to Sustainable Freeports

January 18, 2021 By Lianne Stephens

BLOG: Five Trends for UK Ports in 2021

BLOG: Five Trends for UK Ports in 2021

January 13, 2021 By Lianne Stephens

UK Major Ports Group comments on current COVID-19 border congestion

December 21, 2020 By Lianne Stephens

UK Major Ports Group responds to demands for an inquiry about port congestion

UK Major Ports Group responds to demands for an inquiry about port congestion

December 17, 2020 By Lianne Stephens

About UK Major Ports Group

The United Kingdom Major Ports Group Ltd (UKMPG) was formed in 1993 and is the trade association representing most of the larger commercial ports in the United Kingdom. It has nine members who, between them, own and operate over 40 ports, accounting for more than 70% of the total tonnage handled in UK ports. … Continue Reading

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  • Delighted to chair the keynote session with @TonyJuniper at today's #OceanRecovery #CoastalFutures21 event. Some fa… https://t.co/WyKSxWalgn January 21, 2021 12:28 pm
  • Freeports can fuel investment in communities who need it most. UKMPG and port operators are again reaffirming their… https://t.co/1Ggy5VRu6v January 18, 2021 4:00 pm
  • Freeports can be a significant boost to UK trade and UKMPG port operators are again reaffirming their commitment to… https://t.co/mwGgRimxdf January 18, 2021 11:57 am
  • 2021 looks like it will be another key year for the UK ports sector and the huge contribution it makes to the UK. H… https://t.co/EYE9nEdRS3 January 14, 2021 9:47 am
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Contact Us

UK Major Ports Group
1st Floor
30 Park Street
London
SE1 9EQ

Tel. +44 (0) 20 7260 1785

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