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BPA Investment Showcase 25

BPA UK Ports Investments 2020 – 2025 Showcase

Ports across the UK are reinvesting in their own estates, buying new cranes, extending terminals, modernising their operations, and cutting emissions.

Find out more Explore UK Port Investment Map

BPA Research Has Found…

Since 2020, at least £4.5 billion of private capital has been invested in hundreds of projects and new technologies at UK ports* – from major berth extensions, to small but vital upgrades to port infrastructure.

This is private capital that ports are willing to spend at scale to keep trade moving, facilitate future growth opportunities, and support the transition to net zero. These are tangible upgrades that add capacity, resilience and jobs.

  • £4.5 billion verified investment 2020 – 2025
  • £6 billion invested in wider port estates (such as new warehousing for logistics firms, offshore wind cable factories, etc.)

Ports are buying kit, extending capacity and electrifying operations so the UK can move more, faster, and cleaner. This is happening everywhere: offshore wind hubs in Scotland, new container capacity on the Humber, and upgrading the cruise passenger experience on the South coast. Together, these projects add up to a sector that is modernising at pace.

  • Net Zero: Electrified kit, shore power capabilities, and clean energy supply chains. 
  • Trade: More capacity for the UK and better reliability at the quayside.
  • Growth: Construction jobs now, higher-value logistics and manufacturing jobs next.

Port Investments Across the UK

ABP Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal

£200m investment, ongoing to 2025. ABP and Stena Line are building a brand new freight ferry terminal at Immingham, expanding RoRo capacity on the Humber and strengthening the UK’s busiest port complex.

Belfast Harbour Cruise & Offshore Wind Terminal

£90m dual-purpose quay under construction. The deepwater facility will host some of the world’s largest cruise ships while doubling as an assembly hub for offshore wind, reinforcing Belfast’s role as a trust port reinvesting in the city and region.

Haventus Ardersier Energy Transition Facility

£400m redevelopment of a former oil and gas yard into a 450-acre offshore wind hub. Backed by global investors, the site will provide manufacturing, assembly and marshalling for ScotWind projects, with Phase 1 operational in 2025.

This is private capital flowing into critical national infrastructure. They are backing themselves by committing billions of pounds to stay competitive for decades to come.

Explore the BPA’s map of port investments below to learn more about how the industry is preparing.

*Figures come from BPA’s project-level dataset of verified port investments. They differ from ONS “harbour construction orders” (c. £9bn over the same period) because that series tracks orders placed with contractors, not confirmed outturn spend. BPA project-level dataset aggregates verified, named port projects, actual spend committed on estates, terminals and equipment. Both show the same story: heavy, sustained investment in UK ports.

At least £4.5 billion of port investment in infrastructure and assets between 2020 and 2025
£6 billion invested in wider port estates

Use the map to learn more about some of our members’ projects.

British Ports Association Investment Map
British Ports Association Investment Map
£200M
Immingham
£90M
Belfast
£400M
Haventus
£1.6M
Falmouth
£130M
Harwich
£3.5M
Peterhead
£4M
Montrose
£1M
Blyth
£60M
Milford Haven
£17.5M
Portsmouth
£49M
Stornoway
£26M
Portland
£420M
Aberdeen
£25M
Greenock
£1BN
London
£50M
Leith
£23M
Plymouth
£7.5M
Tyneside
£750K
Warrenpoint
£28M
Liverpool
£6M
Dover

ABP Immingham

Immingham East Ro-Ro Terminal

£200 Million
2025 – Ongoing
DN40 2LZ
Associated British Ports (ABP) and Stena Line are jointly investing in a new freight ferry terminal at the Port of Immingham – the Immingham Eastern RoRo Terminal (IERRT). The IERRT is the proposed construction and operation of a new Roll-on/Roll-off cargo facility on the eastern side of the Port of Immingham within the existing statutory port estate. The project has been approved by planning authorities and is subject to complete by 2026.

Belfast Harbour

New Cruise and OSW Terminal

£90 Million
2025 – Ongoing
DN40 2LZ
Around £90m is being invested in Belfast Harbour to construct a new dual purpose deepwater quay which will accommodate some of the world’s largest cruise vessels, while also expanding the port’s capacity for offshore wind turbine assembly and installation.As a Trust Port, Belfast Harbour is self-financing and invests all post-tax profits in developing the port and estate to benefit the city and region.

Haventus

Arderiser Energy Transition Facility

£400 Million
2023 – Ongoing
IV2 7QX
Haventus was founded following the ScotWind and INTOG leasing rounds, to redevelop Ardersier Port into a dedicated deployment site for offshore wind. The redevelopment is backed by a £300m equity commitment from Quantum Capital Group and also benefits from a joint £100m credit facility from The Scottish National Investment Bank and the National Wealth Fund. The Ardersier Energy Transition Facility is a 450 acre site located on the Moray Firth and has been repurposed from a former oil and gas fabrication yard into a key hub for the offshore wind industry, focusing on manufacturing, assembly, marshalling, storage and potentially the integration of offshore wind turbines. With Phase 1 of the redevelopment almost complete, the Port Facility will be open and operational in Q4 2025.

Falmouth Harbour

New HVO Pilot Boat

£1.6 Million
2024
TR11 3JQ
Falmouth Harbour celebrated the arrival of its new £1.6 million pilot boat, Atlantic, a state-of-the-art vessel designed by Camarc and built by Holyhead Marine, which entered service in late 2024 to replace the 46-year-old LK Mitchell. The 16.6 m boat operated alongside the existing Arrow, providing 24/7, year-round pilotage with over 1,000 boardings and landings annually in the Falmouth Harbour Pilotage Area. Built with a focus on fuel efficiency, safety and crew welfare, Atlantic featured twin Tier III–compliant Scania engines, a resilient-mounted wheelhouse, Camarc’s “Popsure” fender system, and a spacious, future-proofed engine room. Running on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), it cut the Port’s Scope 1 emissions by up to 90%—from around 139 tonnes to about 13.9 tonnes of CO₂ per year—and reduced NOₓ emissions by some 74%. The investment was one of the largest made by the Trust Port in nearly two decades, reflecting its commitment to sustainability and operational modernisation.

Harwich Haven Authority

Super-sized container vessels plan

£130 Million
2023
CO12 3HH
In 2023, Harwich Haven Authority completed major channel-deepening works to its nationally significant trading corridor. The approach channel’s depth was increased from 14.5 metres to 16 metres below chart datum, and berths 8 and 9 at Felixstowe were deepened from 16 metres to 18 metres. The £130 million development, privately financed, was carried out over 22 months by a joint venture of Boskalis Westminster and Van Oord, during which they removed more than 17.1 million cubic metres of material. The enhancements enhanced the port’s ability to accommodate ultra-large vessels, improved berthing windows, and offered greater operational flexibility and predictability.

Peterhead Port Authority

Ice Factory

£3.5 Million
2024
AB42 1DW
Peterhead Port Authority unveiled its new £3.5 million ice factory on 30 August 2024, a modern facility built to replace two obsolete factories taken over in 2022. Situated on Greenhill Quay adjacent to the fish market, it dramatically improved operational efficiency and safety by enabling vessels to receive ice at any tide and allowing lorries convenient roadside loading access. Featuring three ice makers capable of producing one tonne per hour each, along with a 130 kW PV system on the fish market roof providing a third of its power, the facility demonstrably strengthened Peterhead’s support for the fishing industry and complemented its broader modernisation investments.

Montrose Port Authority

Montrose Port Industrial Park

£4 Million
2025 – Ongoing
DD10 9SL
Montrose Port Authority is currently redeveloping a new estate, Montrose Port Industrial Park, two miles north of its quayside estate, to offer prime opportunities for marine, energy, and logistics businesses – particularly those than work in the renewable energy supply chain. The new strategically-important site will offer both existing and new companies greater flexibility to grow and adapt alongside Scotland’s thriving renewables sector.

Port of Blyth

New Wind Turbine Training Facility, Buildings & Superstructure

£1 Million
2021
NE24 3PB
In 2021 the Port of Blyth opened its new £1m Wind Turbine Training Facility, complete with a full size, specially modified wind turbine aimed at providing unique, high quality training opportunities to the renewables industry. In a first for the UK wind industry, the bespoke facility is part of the Port’s significant investment in training aimed at the offshore energy sector and is now available for hire through the Port’s award-winning training division Port Training Services.

Port of Milford Haven

Pembroke Dock Marine Project, Port Infrastructure

£60 Million
2021 – 2024
SA73 3AF
The Port of Milford Haven invested in the Pembroke Dock Marine Project, a transformational £60 million project aimed at establishing a world-class centre for marine energy and engineering at Pembroke Port. It delivers new world-leading port infrastructure ialongside Wales’ Marine Energy Test Area (META) and a Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence whilst advancing the potential of the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone – all with the aim of driving forward innovation and creating new opportunities for industrial growth.

Portsmouth International Port

Carbon Neutral Terminal Building Extension, Port Infrastructure

£17.5 Million
2022 – 2023
PO2 8SP
In August 2023 Portsmouth International Port opened a cutting-edge feat of environmental engineering with an extension to its cruise terminal building. The carbon neutral terminal, part funded by the government’s Levelling Up grant, boasts seawater technology to heat and cool the building, smart LED, solar panels to generate energy and living walls to purify the air.

Stornoway Port Authority

Deep water terminal

£49 Million
HS1 2XS
Stornoway Deep Water Terminal, which supports future renewable energy developments and cruise ships in the Western Isles, was opened in 2024. The project cost a total of £49m and was supported with £33.7m of Scottish Government funding. The terminal can accommodate vessels over 1000 feet long and has a deep-sea dock for large cargo ships, to allow the unloading of components for renewable energy, and other key industry sectors.

Portland Port

Portland Port Berth Development

£26 Million
2023
DT4 9JZ
Portland Port opened a new deep-water berth as part of a £26m development. Redevelopment will enhance its cruise and cargo handling operations as well as its service provision for vessels including those from the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, and the new berth will help deal with the increasing sizes of cruise ships.

Port of Aberdeen

New South Harbour

£420 Million
2023
AB9 1SS
Completed in August 2023, the £420 million Aberdeen South Harbour expansion is the largest marine infrastructure project in Trust Port history. Construction of this transformational project started in 2017 after years of planning. More than £40 million of contracts were awarded to local companies since 2020, and that figure increases to £60 million when accounting for all companies based in Scotland. The facility is attracting vessels and project activity which would have previously sailed past the city, often destined for a European port, capable of handling their requirements.

Peel Ports Greenock

Two New Cranes at Greenock

£25 Million
2024
PA16 8UU
Port operator Peel Ports Clydeport spent £25m on the two new 72m tall ship-to-shore cranes, which are to be named ‘U-Crane Bolt’ after the Jamaican Olympic gold medallist Usain Bolt and ‘Craner Swift’ in tribute to Taylor Swift following a naming competition with local schoolkids.

DP World London Gateway

London Gateway Expansion, Port Infrastructure

£1 Billion
2025 – Ongoing
SS17 9DY
Global Logistics company DP World are further expanding their state-of-the-art London Gateway site, with two further 400m-long all-electric berths and a second rail terminal. The expanded container port, part of the Thames Freeport, will be able to accommodate six of the world’s largest container ships, which will be served by Europe’s tallest quay cranes. Over 1,000 construction jobs will be created during the £1bn expansion, plus 400 permanent new jobs at the port. Approvals for DP World’s project were secured following close collaboration with officials at Thurrock Council and the UK Government’s Marine Management Organisation.

Forth Ports

Port of Leith Charles Hammond Berth, Port Infrastructure

£50 Million
2024
EH6 7DR
Forth Ports opened a new deep water riverside berth at the Port of Leith in April 2025 after a £50m investment. The Charles Hammond Berth was completed in 2024 and will play a pivotal role in the delivery of the Inch Cape Offshore Wind Farm. The berth features a heavy lift capability of up to 100 tonnes per square metre (t/m2), backed up by 175 acres of adjacent land for associated renewables logistics, marshalling and manufacturing.

ABP Plymouth

Millbay Docks Upgrade

£23 Million
2025
PL1 3EF
Associated British Ports completed a £23m upgrade of the Brittany Ferries terminal at Millbay Docks, Plymouth in 2025. The programme included a new state-of-the-art passenger boarding bridge, strengthening of the West Wharf to handle larger vessels, and modernisation of the terminal building to improve passenger experience. Backed by support from Plymouth & South Devon Freeport and delivered in partnership with Brittany Ferries and Plymouth City Council, the investment enhances Millbay’s role as an international gateway for freight, passengers, and cruise operations.

Port of Tyne

New Agricultural Facility

£7.5 Million
2024
NE29 6EE
The Port of Tyne, in collaboration with Origin Soil Nutrition, invested £7.5 million in a new fertiliser blending plant and warehouse facility. The site includes a 6,000 m² warehouse and blending operations with capacity to store and produce over 100,000 tonnes of fertiliser annually. It will improve access to prescription nutrition fertilisers for farmers across Northern England, the Borders, and Southern Scotland, reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by cutting road haulage for up to 5,000 lorry loads, and strengthen regional agri-supply chains through better sourcing, storage and more efficient logistics.

Warrenpoint Port

New combilifts

£750,000
2024
BT34 3JR
Warrenpoint Port invested around £750,000 in three new 16-tonne sideloading Combilifts to enhance steel handling operations. The new equipment improves efficiency and, critically, safety by allowing loads to be carried on the forklift bed rather than at height, reducing risk to staff.

Peel Ports Port of Liverpool

New Warehouse Facility

£28 Million
2024
L21 1LA
Peel Ports invested £28m in a new 240,000 sq ft warehouse at Alexandra Dock, Port of Liverpool. The state-of-the-art facility, built with 300m of dedicated quayside and modern handling equipment, can store up to 90,000 tonnes of bulk goods and is already fully occupied. The project enhances port-side storage capacity, cuts supply chain costs and emissions, and strengthens Liverpool’s role as a key UK logistics hub.

Port of Dover

Cruise Infrastructure Upgrade

£6 Million
2025
CT17 9DQ
The Port of Dover completed a major upgrade of its cruise facilities in 2025, enabling it to accommodate vessels up to 350m in length for the first time. The works included quayside strengthening, new high-capacity mooring bollards, upgraded fendering, and enhanced gangway and terminal arrangements. The investment positions Dover as one of the few UK ports able to host the world’s newest and largest cruise ships, boosting the town’s visitor economy and strengthening its role as a premier European cruise gateway.

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