Maximising the relationships between Ports and Towns
Kieron Hyams
Ports were quite often the physical heart of our towns. Now they are less likely to be located within or as part of a town centre, but remain a core ‘limb’ for the town overall. As well as being significant employers, ports can have a deep and dynamic role with their local town. This post considers the benefits that a port can bring to a town, from an operational, relational and catalytic perspective. Some areas of interaction and benefits are outlined below:
OPERATIONAL – The benefits of a port’s day-to-day business activities
Direct employment: On site employment on port-related work (i.e. logistics, cranes, loaders, stevedores, chandlery, warehouse, pickers, police/customs, HR).
Indirect employment: Supply chain and/or contractor employment on port-related work (i.e. drivers, cleaners, mechanics, fabricators, professional advice, security).
Induced employment: Non-port employment supported by wage expenditure from direct and indirect activities.
On-site businesses: container goods, bulk/palette goods, liquid goods, food (including chilled) goods, minerals and aggregates, construction materials, forest products, waste handling and manufactured cars.
Off-site businesses: transport, logistics, distribution, storage, manufacturing, processing etc.
Passenger services: ferry (short and long haul), cruise (origin and port of call), Ro-Ro (roll-on, roll-off) services.
Training staff and facilities for both general and port-specific skills. Including apprenticeships, distance learning/day release and sandwich year placements.
RELATIONAL – The benefits of a productive relationship with a port
Facilities: Such as meeting room used by community groups, site available for fetes, fun runs etc.
Sponsorship: Funding events, sports teams, community groups, schools etc.
Governance: Sitting on boards or committees planning for: statutory functions, economic development, business and enterprise, safety and security, environmental enhancement etc.
Employer support: Careers advice, work experience, CV advice, Mock interviews etc
Corporate Social Responsibility: environmental improvements, local outreach to community groups, facilities to promote active travel etc.
CATALYTIC – The benefits of being located near a port
Sector synergies: where the port activity stimulates activity in a related sector (e.g. car deliveries lead to a local company fixing car transporters).
Production synergies: where the port activity stimulates activity in another stage of a production or preparation process (e.g. a waste processing plant sets up near to a port which has waste throughput).
Sites: Land available for flexible use/reuse that can meet local and national objectives, such as renewable energy manufacturing facilities or enterprise zones.
Labour market: Local labour skills relevant to a range of transport, logistics and engineering sectors.
Tertiary sector growth: Stimulus for business, insurance, banking, legal etc activities.
Infrastructure: attention to port approach transport routes including trunk roads, roundabouts, motorways, railways and a wide range of waterway custodianship.
Like any good relationship, communication is key. Do you know who does what at your local port? Are they invited to and involved within strategic planning, business promotion and community celebration events and committees? Do you know what the port would like to see improve locally to help you both achieve your aims? Get talking!
Kieron Hyams is an Associate Director within Arup’s City Economics and Planning Team. For further reading on ports, please see https://www.maritimeuk.org/media-centre/publications/state-maritime-nation-report-2019/