Thanet District Council, the statutory harbour authority for the Port of Ramsgate and the Council, has confirmed it is intending to undertake a procurement process to attract and secure a port operator for two primary roll on/roll off (ro-ro) berths at the Port of Ramsgate.
The Council says it is seeking to engage with the market to help inform its procurement exercise.
Ramsgate Port’s last ferry service operator, TransEuropa Ferries, went bankrupt in 2013, leaving Thanet council with £3.4m in unpaid berthing fees. Since then, several proposals have been put forward, including Seaborne Freight, which was awarded a £13.8m government contract in December 2018 for extra ‘Brexit-resilience’ crossings but went into liquidation in 2020 owing almost £2m.
A report completed for the council by consultants Infrata says there is a demand for cross-channel ferry freight services, with limited opportunities for expansion in other ports. Ramsgate has a significant opportunity to take a share of the increase in cargo in the future, and previously interest has been expressed by ferry operators, EU ports, and haulage companies for cross-channel operations.
Commenting on the news, Council leader Rick Everitt told The Isle of Thanet News: “The Port of Ramsgate is a major asset for Thanet, with particular significance for the town itself and national importance too. It has huge untapped potential, in terms of employment and training opportunities for local people and the wider development of the district through new investment. The Levelling Up Fund award means that we can now forge ahead with the structural changes necessary to attract a cross-channel freight operator which were previously unviable. Our ambition is to establish the Port as a base for supporting green industry.”
