The Port of Ramsgate has made losses of £20million since 2010, according to Thanet council’s statement of accounts for each financial year from 2010/11 to 2017/18.
The figures exclude £5million in live export compensation and £3.4million for bankrupt TransEuropa Ferries unpaid fees and charges.
Last year Thanet council said the figures included costs which are shared across other areas of the council for the running of its services, rather than being directly incurred in running the port.
This year the port recorded a loss of £1.8million. Expenditure amounted to £2.8 million and income was £1million.
Port deficit
2017-18 £1.8m
2016-17 £2.249m
2015-16 £3.44m
2014-15 £3,9m
2013-14 £6m
2012-13 £1.86m
2011-12 £866,000
2010-11 £4.35m minus £3.68m ‘impairment’ leaving a £67,000 loss
Income at the port includes berthing fees, pilotage, waste disposal, equipment hire and land rental – including to building materials supplier Brett Aggregrates.
The continuing losses come as the port remains dormant other than the occasional GEFCO delivery of cars when Sheppey is over capacity.
In January 2016 a deal was signed between Thanet council and transport and logistics company GEFCO UK Ltd for the use of the Ro-Ro (roll on – roll off) berths and storage for imported cars prior to distribution around the UK.
That deal ended in January 2017. No new formal contract with TDC has been signed.
Ferry service
Despite continued efforts and talks to attract a ferry service to the port there has been no cross-Channel operation since the collapse of TransEuropa in 2013.
Thanet council was left with an unpaid debt of £3.4 million accrued by the ferry firm in port fees.
In 2014 Thanet council said the end of the ferry service meant the end of the biggest income generator at Ramsgate Port.
Reported talks in 2015 with “a credible potential RoRo operator” were fruitless and a service between Ostend and Ramsgate to be operated by Seaborne Freight company and mooted to be starting in March this year is yet to materialise.
In October last year, during the run up to the Ostend elections, town mayor Johan Vande Lanotte announced a ‘basic agreement’ had been made for the ferry line between Ostend and Ramsgate.
He said the route would start with freight but a passenger service could begin shortly afterwards.
In a social media statement Mr Vande Lanotte said: “The Board of Management of the Port of Ostend has reached a basic agreement with Seaborne freight for the launch of a new RoRo line Oostende- Ramsgate, which is due to start on March 1, 2018.
“It is a guided freight, ie lorry drivers who cross the Channel with their freight. The intention is that three ships will be deployed with six departures a day.”
In April Thanet council leader Bob Bayford confirmed commercial talks had been taking place between the authority, Seaborne and Ostend representatives.
Belgian press reported the expected start date for the operation had been set back to ‘early May 2018’ but there appears to have been no progress to date.
Cllr Bayford said work on ferry operations is the priority for Ramsgate Port.
He said: “The right ferry operation under the right contract will start to plug the money pit that is currently Ramsgate Port.
“We want to do something about this and the quickest way is through a ferry operation. This would benefit Ramsgate and the whole of Thanet.”
Truck park use
In January a proposal to use land at Ramsgate Port for a ‘temporary’ truck and coach park was approved.
The planning application, made by Thanet council’s harbour master Rob Brown, was for the fenced in area, previously used to park HGV’s which were either waiting to be shipped from or had arrived into Ramsgate by ferry, to become a 90-space truck park for a period of two years.
Ramsgate Harbour
In contrast Ramsgate harbour made a small profit of £558,000 for 2016-17 and £229,000 for 2017/18 through mooring fees and businesses at the Arches.
Community backing has been expressed for a marina village development at Ramsgate Port and harbour.
It has been suggested boat-building and boat-repair. sailing schools water-sports, retail, residential and leisure facilities could be of economic benefit.
Although it has been suggested Thanet council would look at all potential options for the site if necessary the authority said “priority is to re-establish a ferry operation at Ramsgate.”
Upcoming costs
Costs for the coming year will include £369,000 for general repairs and maintenance and £375,000 for specific capital schemes (which span over 2018-2022) for the port.
For the harbour the costs will include £299,000 for general repairs and maintenance and £2.01m for specific capital schemes (which span over 2018-2022.)
The costs include work on the harbour sluice gates and water supply upgrade; Replacement of Lead Lights at the port; fuel barge access ramp; Berth One refurbishment and pontoon improvements.
9 port ‘proposals’ that are yet to come to fruition
October 2012
Euroferries announced it would be operating a 102m trimaran high speed service from Ramsgate by 2013.
2014/15
Euroferries again announced it would be launching a Ramsgate to Boulogne service. It had also approached Thanet District Council back in 2009. No service emerged.
Thanet council issued a statement to say: “Thanet District Council can confirm that there is no agreement with Euroferries Express ltd. to facilitate a cross-channel ferry service between Ramsgate and Boulogne.”
August 2014
Thanet council advised that talks were under-way with potential ferry operators with names touted including DFDS.
September 2015
Ferry expert Bill Moses said he planned to relaunch ferry services at the port
His plans were for an operator to carry up to 500,000 passengers by its second year of operation at Ramsgate.
November 2016
It was revealed that Thanet council had failed in a bid to get Government funding of £4.17million, to be matched with £2million from the authority, to carry out plans which could double lorry capacity at the port to one million vehicles a year.
A three phase expansion was planned.
The first phase was to improve the port’s handling capacity, particularly for unaccompanied freight vehicles, with a double deck ro-ro berth.
The second phase was the development of an on-port new alongside quay for the existing aggregates cargo and bulk cargo expansion and secondly an off-site freight logistics hub at Manston Business Park.
A third phase of seaward port expansion would have been dependent on demand.
The proposals reappeared in a report compiled by the East Kent Regeneration Board (EKRB) last August.
April 2017
The shipping expert taken on by Thanet council said the authority could buy its own ferry to run cross-Channel services from Ramsgate.
Robert Hardy, of Paradox Consulting, was one of the Ramsgate representatives who attended the industry Multimodal expo in Birmingham.
Talking to Shipping TV Mr Hardy said: “We have got to write a model as though we are starting our own ferry company. In fact I asked the question when I was brought in why don’t we buy the ferry, why are we relying on someone else to share our view?”
Thanet council later issued a statement to say:“The Port does not intend to either purchase or operate ships ourselves.”
April 2017
Beach schools, sea-themed playgrounds, a fish market and water sports adventure park were just some of the proposals for Ramsgate revealed at a public meeting.
The Port Ramsgate Maritime Village proposals were earmarked to be a part of Thanet council’s Local Plan – a blueprint for housing, business and infrastructure up to 2031 for the isle.
The Ramsgate maritime report was the work of community group Wish You Were Here with the meeting headed by Councillor Bev Martin and resident Helene Whitehall.
A maritime plan may still be on the cards – but possibly not this one.
August 2017
A tweet emerged ‘revealing’ Thanet council discussions with a Polish ferry company about bringing services to Ramsgate Port.
The council’s consultant Robert Hardy, who was taken on in April, was believed to have been in talks with Polferries.
The company is the largest Polish ferry operator.
March 2018
The start date for the Seaborne Freight company route between Ostend and Ramsgate came and went without a vessel in sight.
Thanet council said talks are taking place over the proposal.
