Port of Ipswich secures its positon as the UK’s top agricultural export port

This makes for the largest ever shipment of animal feed beans to be exported by ABP’s port of Ipswich in East Anglia. The product is to be transported to the port city of Bari in Italy. The field beans, which are used as a protein source in cattle, pig and poultry diets, will travel aboard the vessel MV Zealand Beatrix. James Maw, Glencore Agriculture UK Managing Director, said: “The ability to make a timely early shipment of such scale through ABP’s Port of Ipswich has proved to be especially important for eastern counties growers.”

“Completing a 12 000 t shipment brings essential economies of scale that can make UK beans attractive for global buyers that have a core demand for beans in their feed rations, compared to the cost of conventional 4 000t carriers,” he added. “That has translated into better prices for East Anglian growers, and helping to assure a viable return from the crop for farmers.”

   

In July this year the Port of Ipswich reported handling 40% of UK barley exports, with 46173 t out of a total UK export tonnage of 113,000 t passing through its facilities. Ipswich’s status as the UK’s number one export port for agricultural products was also recently confirmed by the 2016 GB Port Freight statistics released by the Department for Transport (DfT) in September, a record it has now held since 2005. 

Andrew Harston, Short Sea Ports Director, said: “We are delighted to be working with Glencore and their terminal partners Clarksons Port Services as well as Ipswich Grain Terminal to bring together this record 12 000 t export shipment of beans.

“Ipswich’s excellent location and connectivity make it a number one choice for our customers in the agricultural sector year after year, who rely on the access to global markets the port offers,” he concluded.

Read the article online at: https://www.drybulkmagazine.com/ports-terminals/19102017/port-of-ipswich-secures-its-positon-as-the-uks-top-agricultural-export-port/