Global Britain starts at Dover
The Port of Dover is driving smart, seamless and sustainable trade and is primed to be a flagship for the UK on the world stage
From enabling the rapid transit of food and medicines across the Channel to ensuring manufacturers receive critical ‘just-in-time’ components, the Port of Dover underpins everyday life and the resilience of UK supply chains.
The scale of this operation – and its impact on the economy, society and national prosperity – makes Dover indispensable. Its reach extends to every corner of the country, providing access to markets that alternative routes simply cannot match.
As the UK’s busiest international ferry port, Dover handles more than £144bn of trade annually, accounting for around one third of all goods traded between the UK and the EU, our largest trading partner.
In her recent Mais Lecture, Chancellor Rachel Reeves set out the government’s ambition to drive growth through deeper, more practical cooperation with the EU, identifying this relationship as one of the three defining levers of national economic success.
The Port of Dover is a critical enabler of that ambition. As government looks to reset and strengthen ties with Europe, Dover stands ready as a nationally significant asset capable of unlocking trade, investment, jobs, tourism and innovation. The Port is keen to work in close partnership with government to help realise this opportunity.
Frictionless, secure borders are essential not only for compliance but for operational efficiency, customer experience and long-term international competitiveness. Dover has already demonstrated leadership in this space, implementing an innovative digital solution to support the EU’s Entry-Exit System (EES), helping to ensure that border processes remain as seamless as possible.
Government efforts to improve the UK-EU trading relationship, including reducing administrative burdens around sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks, are therefore vital steps in making trade and travel more efficient and productive.
Beyond Europe, Dover is also well placed to project UK leadership on the global maritime stage.
The Port is working with international partners to establish the Short Straits as the world’s first high-volume Green Shipping Corridor. This is not only an environmental ambition, but an economic necessity. The route accounts for around 8 per cent of the UK’s total maritime emissions, and without intervention, emerging global and regional emissions frameworks risk increasing costs for operators – costs that would ultimately be passed on to consumers and supply chains.
Decarbonising the Short Straits is not just about doing the right thing for the environment, as important as that is. It will keep consumer and supply chain prices down at a time of ongoing pressure on energy prices and the wider cost of living.
On its journey to showcasing Great British leadership on the global stage, the Port has been consistently recognised by the Ecoports Port Environmental Review System, the main environmental management standard of the European ports sector.
“Dover’s leadership sets an inspiring example for all other ports across Europe and beyond”
Tim Verhoeven, EcoPorts Coordinator
Dover’s committed sustainability drive is an essential part of its 2050 Masterplan. The long-term prize in supporting and investing in Dover will see a 20 per cent increase in the value of trade handled through to £173bn (at 2023 prices) and cement the UK’s competitive position on the world stage as a leader in smart, seamless and sustainable trade and travel.
Dover has already demonstrated what is possible. Through its ‘Target 2025’ initiative, the Port has achieved net-zero across Scope 1 and 2 emissions – becoming the first UK port to do so. This milestone has been reached five years ahead of any other UK port target, and 25 years ahead of the government’s own maritime net-zero ambition.
Keir Mather MP, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation said:
“It’s fantastic to see the Port of Dover charting the course for a cleaner maritime future, showing net-zero port operations are becoming a reality in Britain”
“UK shipping is vital to our national prosperity. That’s why we’re supporting industry with £448m to develop clean fuels and technologies to support skilled jobs, cut carbon emissions and drive growth in our coastal communities”
Further realising this potential requires not only investment within the Port, but also in the surrounding infrastructure that enables it to function effectively.
The delivery of the Lower Thames Crossing will be transformative for national connectivity and supporting UK-EU freight flows, providing a vital new route between Kent and Essex and relieving pressure on the Dartford Crossing. But without complementary investment, there is a real risk that increased traffic flows will place additional strain on existing routes in Kent.
The HGV Road User Levy raises tens of millions a year. It would be helpful if some of this revenue could be reinvested into Kent’s strategic road network which is so vital for international freight movements from across the UK and EU that rely on swift access to market through the Port of Dover.
In particular, there is a compelling case to dual the A2, a key arterial route linking Dover to the wider strategic road network. Ensuring that this corridor has sufficient capacity will be essential to prevent congestion, maintain the efficient movement of international freight, and fully realise the economic benefits of the Lower Thames Crossing. Without such upgrades, there is a danger that the gains delivered by new infrastructure could be undermined by bottlenecks elsewhere in the system.
At a time of shifting trade patterns and growing global competition, the UK has an opportunity to lead by example. Backed by the right infrastructure, Dover can serve not just as a gateway to Europe, but as a symbol of Global Britain in action: open, competitive and leading the transition to cleaner trade.
For more information about the Port of Dover, visit www.portofdover.com.
