Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 April 2026
Letter from the Port of Dover relating to the Committee's visit to its facilities, 24 March 2026
From: Business and Trade Committee
Inquiry: UK trade with the EU
Summary
Port of Dover's Chief Executive Doug Bannister thanks the Business and Trade Committee for its 24 March 2026 visit and outlines strategic developments. The port handles £144bn in annual freight (33% of UK-EU trade) and seeks committee support for three priorities: designating Dover as a digital 'sandbox' for frictionless border transit, ensuring A2 road improvements accompany the Lower Thames Crossing, and securing UN Green Shipping Corridor status to decarbonise the Short Straits route.
Key findings
- Port of Dover handles £144bn of freight annually, representing 33% of all UK trade in goods with the EU and 31% of major seaports' HGVs
- Port requests support for Dover 2050 strategy: a 30-year plan projecting 20% increase in trade value to £173bn through digital transformation, infrastructure upgrades, and decarbonisation
- Port advocates for A2 dualling in south Kent before Lower Thames Crossing completion in 2034 to prevent congestion; LTC costs exceed £10bn
- Short Straits maritime route represents 8% of UK maritime emissions; port seeks UN Green Shipping Corridor status at COP31 to avoid future carbon taxes on operators
- Port pledges to support committee's 10-year post-Brexit stock-take report and prioritises reducing friction in supply chains through digital enablement and border fluidity
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Doug Bannister, Liam Byrne MP, Port of Dover, Business and Trade Committee, Dover Harbour Board, International Maritime Organisation, Department for Transport
Notable line
“If you get the Dover right you will get so many other things right for frictionless trade and growth.”
Key Quotes
“Dover is a port of national significance for passengers, freight and UK trade. It handles £144bn of freight value annually which represents 33% of all UK trade in goods with the EU.”
“Dover should be supported as a digital 'sandbox'. If you get the Dover right you will get so many other things right for frictionless trade and growth.”
“The LTC will significantly improve the connection and capacity for freight flows to be able to reach the Port of Dover from the Midlands and the North. But it is critically important that the existing road infrastructure in Kent can handle this extra traffic.”
“Without intervention, emerging global and regional maritime emissions frameworks risk significantly increasing costs for operators, which will ultimately be passed on to supply chains.”
“This should be the priority for any 'reset' in relations with the EU, as we discussed.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗