The Port of Immingham has handled over 137,000 tonnes of grain since investing in a new grain handling system, and is preparing itself for a busy season of grain handling.
With farmers exporting the last of the large domestic surplus of grain to make way for the 2023 harvest, port owners ABP are targeting those in central and eastern England to use the port for their business.
The largest port operator invested significantly in grain handling operations earlier this year at the east coast port, with two metal plate bunds which can be set up on any quay on any surface. They can also be sanitised between vessel discharges meaning grain for human consumption can be handled, and a specific standard of cleanliness is met. Using the new Liebherr 420 mobile harbour cranes means faster and more time efficient handling operations.
Located nearby is a weighbridge, essential in ensuring what quantity of grain is being loaded onto the ship. In 2022, 81,000 tonnes of grain passed through the Humber ports’ quays.
Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports said: “This is a great achievement in support of our customers. It’s a cost-effective method of ensuring we can load on to any quay in inner dock. It’s a developed and proven capability for operations to receive and load human consumption grains, which is part of our key competitiveness.”
The Humber plays a strategic role in relation to export markets and our continued investment into infrastructure and equipment maintains our agility and resilience in keeping Britain trading.”
Since the beginning of this year, operators have already handled over 137,000 tonnes of grain, arriving on a daily average pf 250 lorries direct from the farm to the vessel, and the grain is directly loaded thus saving on storage costs.
Earlier this year the UK arable sector had a large domestic surplus of grain and to make way for the 2023 harvest, stores will need clearing to make way for the new crop, which is seeing a bumper market in agribulks.
The Port of Immingham’s grain handling facility is open to deep water vessels and can operate around the clock. There is a weighbridge close to the berths, and access points for sampling the cargo adjacent to the quays.
