Author: Gareth Colwell

Portico, Portsmouth's international cargo operator, is one of the few UK ports capable of managing the largest loads, following the arrival of a new 432-tonne mobile harbour crane. With an ability to provide tandem lifts up to 250-tonnes, constructed in the Netherlands this mobile crane will secure the future for Portico as it offers existing and potential customers greater opportunity to handle large scale goods. For Portico's current customer global offshore wind giant MHI Vestas, this new piece of equipment is essential...

By Gareth Colwell

Across the world, industry has made dynamic changes to overcome challenges that the coronavirus pandemic has brought to the fore, and ports are no exception. Portico contributed to the Tonight programme, to be broadcast on ITV 1 at 7.30pm on 23 April, which looks at food supply chains and challenges faced by the industry. Steve Williams, operations director at Portico, takes a look back at how he and his team have responded to ensure essential freight keeps moving. Ports are vital...

By Gareth Colwell

Steve Williams, operations director for Portsmouth’s international cargo operator Portico, has swapped his usual office view for one which is a few floors higher. Over 20 metres higher, roughly. Crane drivers are critical to unloading the goods from ships, which call into Portsmouth bringing thousands of fresh produce in pallets and containers. To help make sure this essential role can continue, Steve has taken a refresher course so he’s able to step into the cab once again and make sure supplies...

By Gareth Colwell

UPDATE (5 May 2020): We're pleased to announce we've reverted to the hours below. Please our coronavirus page for updates. We've revised our opening hours for container and refrigerated vehicle loading. This is following consultation with our customers. The terminal will be closed to hauliers from 0100-0700, 7 days a week, commencing 1 February 2020. Last entry will be at 0030. Vessel operations will continue 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. HGVs will continue to enter the terminal through the Wharf Road...

By Gareth Colwell

A new Portsmouth to Antwerp shipping route offers an alternative to anyone worried about a chaotic Brexit. Ben Harraway, commercial manager at Portico, explains why the route is so attractive. This feature originally appeared in The Times & Raconteur's 'Innovating the supply chain' supplement on 10 December 2019. What will Brexit bring to the UK’s ports? As a commercial manager at one of Britain’s busiest ports let me tell you this: no one knows. We don’t know what the export rules...

By Gareth Colwell

The first Geest Line ship docked at Portico on Friday 6 December after the firm announced it would be returning to the Hampshire port. Its cargo of bananas brought from the Caribbean will be distributed across the country. The ship Luzon Strait arrived after a transatlantic crossing of around nine days carrying 9,000 pallets of cargo. The decision to return has been positively received by both banana and general freight customers. Geest Line has been an exclusively Europe-to-Caribbean freight operator for more than 60...

By Gareth Colwell

With the future trading relationship with the EU still to be shaped, many businesses are taking the opportunity to re-evaluate and future-proof their supply chains. If you are considering doing the same, Portico can help you look at transport differently. We can help you evaluate alternatives that are ‘Brexit ready’, whatever the outcome. This includes possible shortsea container services to Europe. With a customs agency and a freight forwarding service in-house, we already offer a range of services to help businesses...

By Gareth Colwell

Steve Williams, operations director at Portico, has issued the following statement as a message of reassurance to customers and stakeholders regarding the port’s Brexit preparations: I am pleased to update you that following a visit by the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP. The strategic importance of Portsmouth International Port and Portico was emphasised as a significant consideration by the government. I wanted to reassure you that Portsmouth is prepared and we are ready if there is a...

By Gareth Colwell

Children from Purbrook Junior School recently visited Portico and Portsmouth International Port. The Year 5 group and are studying Fairtrade as their theme this term, exploring what we export and import, and with whom we trade. They’ve also looked at where the UK’s food comes from, including from Fairtrade farms. As a vital trade hub where 70% of the UK’s bananas are imported, Portsmouth is an ideal location for them to see international trade in action. Above: Bananas being unloaded from the...

By Gareth Colwell

Representatives from Portico and Portsmouth International Port recently visited Antwerp, which is home to Europe’s second-largest seaport. The Port of Antwerp is the economic engine of the region, covering an area of 24,000 football pitches and employing 144,183 people directly and indirectly. It is also a municipal port, which means it is owned by the local municipal authority – the same ownership model as Portsmouth’s port. Because of this similarity, the team from Portsmouth were keen to observe the Port of Antwerp’s...

By Gareth Colwell