Question Time

One of the more entertaining quips that originated from the floor was when someone picked on the phrase “existing policy” and made the point that he thought that for the past few years the UK port policy was not to have one, just as it wasn’t possible to get government funding unless of course a particular port was lucky enough to receive it from a regional development authority or some other one-off source!

Leaving aside the satire however, the event was a thought provoking one and one attended by an interesting cross section of professionals interested in the future of the UK ports industry. This, in turn, though, prompted one to conclude that in some respects the meeting was like closing the stable door after the horse had bolted.

In particular, with regard to the decision making process concerning major new deep-sea container capacity. Would it not have been better to hold such a meeting as a prelude to making the big decisions on new port capacity? Is the predominantly Hutchison solution the UK now has the right one?

Or turning it round the other way, if the event was meant to be a post-planning application event then what has happened regarding London Gateway? Is it really still just pending or will it now never materialise, at least in the shape and form originally intended? But then how could it reinvent itself, the planning application has to scope out precisely what is going to be developed? But then strange things do happen?and it is near the sea?.

Wouldn’t it also be peculiar if, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Dibden Bay were to raise its head again or a similar scheme based on a big capacity injection at the existing terminal, Southampton Container Terminals. But, then, no that couldn’t happen because so many people told us it wasn’t possible at the last planning enquiry.

Could it? Maybe DP World, who following its takeover of P&O Ports now owns a stake in SCT, favours this option? But then no that wouldn’t make sense would it with all the money DP World spent on London Gateway?

Did the roadshow provide answers or questions?

Yes – don’t you think so?