Docks hit by dive in UK’s export trade (From Hampshire Chronicle)
When news happens, text CHRON and your photos or videos to 80360. Or contact us by email & phone.
Docks hit by dive in UK’s export trade
10:51am Wednesday 10th March 2010 in
-
- By Gareth Lewis » Business Editor
UK exports took their biggest plunge in more than three years during January, underlining the tough road to recovery faced by Southamp-ton docks.
The trade figures showed the worst monthly slump in exports since July 2006 – a £1.4 billion or 6.9 per cent fall – thwarting hopes the nation’s manufacturers would capitalise on a weak pound.
And in worse still news for Southampton, the nation’s export decline far outstripped a 1.6 per cent fall in imports – causing the UK’s goods trade gap with the rest of the world to widen from £7 billion to £8 billion in January.
Statisticians have no data yet on the impact of the cold snap, although experts said snow-bound manufacturers were likely to have struggled to get their goods to ports. One Southampton port business was actually boosted by the freezing weather – the bulks terminal in the docks, which shrugged off the gloom surrounding international trade to record its busiest ever month, thanks to 56,000 tonnes of gritting salt for the UK’s roads passing over the quayside.
Thanks to that delivery and a further 16,000 tonnes of animal feed coming in, the terminal handled more than 100,000 tonnes in February.
Ray Facey, of bulk terminal operators Solent Stevedores, said: “The guys have really put themselves out. Our crane drivers were hot-seating – as soon as one finished a shift another one went in. We had to keep the flow going to make sure we made room on the quay to handle more ships.”
Comments(11)
southy
says...
4:49pm Wed 10 Mar 10
seatraders wrote:our exports have been in the red ever since the mid 80's because of the destruction of our industry by the then tory government of the day, back in the 70's and before it use to be the other way round our exports was in the black right up till the mid 80's
So if the Bulks Terminal is doing so well, what's the big deal with containers? Perhaps that's the area the Port should be concentrating on? Although looks like just more imports, don't we export anything?
whats more worrying is that 7 billion trade gap, if you say its works out has average per year then go back to the mid 80's that would put us £175 billion in the red. the country been bankrupt for over 20 years/
Ben Doone
says...
6:47pm Wed 10 Mar 10
I think the UK has had a trade inbalance (apart from the odd year or two) from the 1930's.
Generally 'Invisibles' have reduced or bridged the gap (note the last time I looked the UK still earns more form foreign investments than paid out to foreign investors in the UK)
Interestingly Japan has generated enormous current a/c surpluses for many years but the country has been suffering from ongoing economic problems.
Its quite possible for country's to run current account deficits for a long time reflecting their ability to attract the world's increasingly mobile capital.
However that capital can swiftly move away at the first sign of economic problems.
The Uk has significant problems but not as bad as many economies around the world.
You ought to be very thankful for this.
geoff51
says...
8:15pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Ben Doone
says...
8:32pm Wed 10 Mar 10
To be fair I think they are now looking at 2025 for possible development at Dibden.
This is in line with other port developments on the drawing board elsewhere and reflects projected trade upturn.
There are green shoots of recovery in the Shipping Business but who knows where we all will be in 15 years time.
Could actually be that development at Dibden may be welcomed if the jobs market continues to go downhill
southy
says...
9:03pm Wed 10 Mar 10
your invisibles trades is no good any money that is made for the government is soak up right away because of the unemployment levels have been to high again since the 80's. with high unemployment also means less tax being paid whitch makes other areas suffer. its a down ward all way.
geoff51
says...
9:14pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Ben Doone wrote:I am old enough to remember th halcyon days of Southampton Docks when it supported a whole infrastucture of associated business, fruit& veg, cafes, pubs offices etc.
Geoff To be fair I think they are now looking at 2025 for possible development at Dibden. This is in line with other port developments on the drawing board elsewhere and reflects projected trade upturn. There are green shoots of recovery in the Shipping Business but who knows where we all will be in 15 years time. Could actually be that development at Dibden may be welcomed if the jobs market continues to go downhill
As usual a short sighted managment sold the family silver for short term gain ie the illfated ocean village, the posh flats nobody wants or can afford.
So they now want the other side of the river, sorry we dont want you here, knock down the unwanted bits your side and use them for the job they were originally designed for.
Ben Doone
says...
10:03pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Dont want to get dragged into a discussion on Dibden Bay but name me one established industrial activity which has not seen fundamental changes in employment , or ancillary activity in the past 170 years or indeed any major UK port which has not sold off original, outdated city centre located infrastructure unsuitable for modern cargo handling activity (eg Liverpool/London/Gla
sgow/Bristol/
Hull/Cardiff/Manches
ter etc etc)
Also not forgetting that Dibden Bay was actually filled in by the port owners in the 1960's specifically for port development prior to many people actually moving into the area
geoff51
says...
10:51pm Wed 10 Mar 10
Ben Doone wrote:actually it was where they dumped what they had dredged out when the container port was built they even dumped their rubbish on this side of the river
Geoff Dont want to get dragged into a discussion on Dibden Bay but name me one established industrial activity which has not seen fundamental changes in employment , or ancillary activity in the past 170 years or indeed any major UK port which has not sold off original, outdated city centre located infrastructure unsuitable for modern cargo handling activity (eg Liverpool/London/Gla sgow/Bristol/ Hull/Cardiff/Manches ter etc etc) Also not forgetting that Dibden Bay was actually filled in by the port owners in the 1960's specifically for port development prior to many people actually moving into the area
southy
says...
11:03pm Wed 10 Mar 10
geoff they started filling in the bay back in the 50's and finished in the early 80,s
when they built the container port it was reclaim land again, the only difference is that now days we know what damage is being done to the marine life and river when any dredging is being done or any reclaiming from the tidal waters
geordie
says...
2:08pm Thu 11 Mar 10
Therefore we really are not doing to badly when you look at the wider picture.
More News stories
- Winchester Business Excellence Awards 2012 - Deadline fast approaching for entries.
- Glimmer of hope for future of pub
- Final curtain for man who saved theatre
- Ed visits city in jobs boost campaign
- British Gas call centre goes face-to-face
- Flybe sales lifted by Finnish joint venture
- Taxi trade survey 'flawed'
- GAME to axe 46 jobs
- Success is in the Air
- Prince backs jobs bid
Docks hit by dive in UK’s export trade
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
seatraders says...
2:06pm Wed 10 Mar 10