Swedish Ferry company, Stena Line, and the UK’s largest port operator, Associated British Ports, have announced their intention to proceed with a £200+ million joint investment in a new freight ferry terminal at the Port of Immingham following the granting of the Development Consent Order  planning application by the UK Government.

In a major step forward for the project, this approval means that construction can officially begin on the new RoRo ferry terminal. Following the approval, the project was featured this week at the UK Government’s showcase International Investment Summit.

In 2022, Stena Line and ABP signed an agreement which will see the ferry company operate the new terminal for the next 50 years. This long-term commitment will provide a boost to the North-East of England, where the unaccompanied freight market has been steadily growing.

Stena Line is one of the largest ferry operators in the world with 20 routes, and 40 vessels operating in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. Located in Lincolnshire, Immingham is becoming a strategic hub for the company, which currently runs two daily services from the Humber region to The Netherlands. Stena, the group which owns Stena Line, also recently became the sole owner of transport and logistics business, NTEX, which has its UK headquarters in the port.

With customer demand continuing to grow for the company in the region, Stena Line requires additional capacity to expand its operations at Immingham. The new RoRo terminal is a long-term solution in a new location which provides access to the main Humber Estuary, allowing for quicker sailing times and the option to use larger vessels to cater for increased freight demand from exporters and importers from across the region and the rest of the UK.

Niclas Mårtensson, CEO of Stena Line said: “We are very pleased that the Secretary of State has approved the new RoRo terminal at the Port of Immingham. The port is of great strategic importance to Stena Line and we will aim to build on the success we have seen in the unaccompanied freight market.

“This is a long-term commitment for us and will be integral to expanding our freight operations on our routes between the UK and Continental Europe to serve demand. Coupled with Stena’s recent acquisition of NTEX, we’re looking forward to this development expanding our business and strengthening our position in the North-East England market.”

Henrik Pedersen, CEO of ABP said: “We are delighted that the Development Consent Order (DCO) for the Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal (IERRT) has been granted. This approval marks a significant milestone in our mission to Keep Britain Trading through enhancing the UK’s logistics infrastructure and bolstering trade capacity across the North Sea. We will be reviewing the conditions within the DCO approval and are committed to delivering a viable and compliant project.

“The IERRT project is a key component of our strategy to strengthen the UK’s supply chains and improve trade connectivity, whilst also bringing substantial economic benefits including the creation of hundreds of jobs during construction and ongoing operations. We are confident that, with the necessary adjustments, we can proceed on schedule to begin construction in 2025 and complete the project by 2026.”

Simon Bird, Regional Director of the Humber ports said: “This is fantastic news for the Humber and the UK more generally. The IERRT development significantly increases the Port of Immingham’s capability and capacity for handling unaccompanied freight units across the North Sea.

“This additional capacity is required to meet the identified growing commercial demand whilst at the same time strengthening the Humber Estuary’s contribution to an effective, efficient, competitive and resilient UK Ro-Ro freight sector. IERRT also responds to the trend for larger RoRo vessels, requiring larger port infrastructure and landside space.

“As well as supporting and growing jobs in the businesses using IERRT, the project itself is the source of additional employment. It will create c700 jobs during the construction phase and then c200 permanent jobs once fully operational.”

Carl Johan Hellner, Chief Operating Officer, Ports and Terminals, Stena Line added: “This announcement is a testament to the success of Stena Line’s partnership with ABP. We look forward to building on the collaboration further to secure long-term value for our customers and support the future of UK trade growth.”