The UK government plans to launch a £200 million infrastructure fund for ports, in order to build new facilities at the border.
In fact, the fund is targeted at those ports that have the space to build new border infrastructure on their current sites so that they are ready to handle new customs requirements under the new Border Operating Model.
What is more, the funding can be used for a range of vital port infrastructure, from warehouses and control posts to traffic management systems.
For the records, the deadline for applications is until 30th October, with successful bids announced shortly after.
In lighf of the situation, Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, said:
Our ports are a point of pride for the UK, contributing to our success as a global trading nation and helping bring vital goods into the country each and every day. This investment will not only ensure our borders are fully operational at the end of the transition period, but will also support the UK’s fantastic businesses as they trade across Europe.
Furthermore, the opening of the fund will see ports accelerate their preparations for the end of the year, as well as give industry confidence that all required infrastructure will be delivered on time.
We welcome this fund and the focus on preparing port infrastructure for what will need accommodate a significant change in our trading relationship with the EU. We therefore welcome this scheme which importantly will be open to all port operators across Great Britain.
….as Richard Ballantyne Chief Executive of the British Ports Association, which represents ports that facilitate 86% of our trade including all the UK’s main roll-on roll-off gateways, concluded.