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Passenger numbers increase again after duty-free setback
Freight units handled through the port of Dover in the first eight months of this year were up by 19.8% compared with the same period a year earlier. The total number of trucks through the port rose from 1.29m to 1.55m.
Of course, the comparison is partly distorted by the downturn Doverexperienced due to berthing problems at the port of Calais early in the year, "but that has worked itself out now and the growth is not tailing off," says Dover's chief executive, Bob Goldfield. He says the profile is changing in that the port is seeing higher numbers of freight vehicles in the summer than was traditionally the case. All the same, after several years of declining figures, largely due to the abolition of duty-free sales and the advent of the low-cost airlines, Dover has seen passenger numbers on the way up this year.
In the eight months to the end of August it recorded an increase of 5.3%, from 9.2m to nearly 9.7m passengers. Cars were up, too, by 6.3% to 1.85m, but coaches, described by Mr Goldfield as a "volatile" market, slipped by 0.8%. "Tourist vehicles have been excellent this year and seem to be recovering," Mr Goldfield says.
"All the operators have benefited from increased figures." However, passenger figures have a long way to go before reaching the high of 1997, when the port handled 21.46m passengers and 3.55m tourist cars. Mr Goldfield puts this year's increase partly down to an increase in disposable incomes. "People may be taking their main holiday to more exotic places but they are also taking more short breaks," he says.
"And I believe there will be some that are becoming slightly disenchanted with the low-cost airlines, which are not always the great deal that they seem" Last year Dover handled 2.04m freight units, 13.34m passengers, 2.55m tourist cars and 107,541 coaches compared with 1.98m freight units, 14.33m passengers, 2.5m cars and 128,464 coaches in 2004.
Norfolkline has introduced three new purpose-built ferries on to the Dover-Dunkirk service in the past year.
The first, the Maersk Dunkerque, entered service in November, followed by the Maersk Delft in February and the Maersk Dover in July. Each ship has capacity for 200 cars, 780 passengers and up to 120 freight vehicles. Crossing time is two hours. Norfolkline's tourist business is focused on the motorist - it does not carry foot passengers or coaches on the Dunkirk route. The new ships have separate passenger and freight decks for vehicle loading and freight drivers and motorists are provided with different facilities.
SeaFrance, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, carried 3.2m passengers and 680,000 trucks in 2005. The company took over the old Sealink pool in 1996 and is the only French operator on the Calais-Dover route. It introduced the new SeaFrance Berlioz on to the Dover-Calais service in March last year.
Of course, the comparison is partly distorted by the downturn Doverexperienced due to berthing problems at the port of Calais early in the year, "but that has worked itself out now and the growth is not tailing off," says Dover's chief executive, Bob Goldfield. He says the profile is changing in that the port is seeing higher numbers of freight vehicles in the summer than was traditionally the case. All the same, after several years of declining figures, largely due to the abolition of duty-free sales and the advent of the low-cost airlines, Dover has seen passenger numbers on the way up this year.
In the eight months to the end of August it recorded an increase of 5.3%, from 9.2m to nearly 9.7m passengers. Cars were up, too, by 6.3% to 1.85m, but coaches, described by Mr Goldfield as a "volatile" market, slipped by 0.8%. "Tourist vehicles have been excellent this year and seem to be recovering," Mr Goldfield says.
"All the operators have benefited from increased figures." However, passenger figures have a long way to go before reaching the high of 1997, when the port handled 21.46m passengers and 3.55m tourist cars. Mr Goldfield puts this year's increase partly down to an increase in disposable incomes. "People may be taking their main holiday to more exotic places but they are also taking more short breaks," he says.
"And I believe there will be some that are becoming slightly disenchanted with the low-cost airlines, which are not always the great deal that they seem" Last year Dover handled 2.04m freight units, 13.34m passengers, 2.55m tourist cars and 107,541 coaches compared with 1.98m freight units, 14.33m passengers, 2.5m cars and 128,464 coaches in 2004.
Norfolkline has introduced three new purpose-built ferries on to the Dover-Dunkirk service in the past year.
The first, the Maersk Dunkerque, entered service in November, followed by the Maersk Delft in February and the Maersk Dover in July. Each ship has capacity for 200 cars, 780 passengers and up to 120 freight vehicles. Crossing time is two hours. Norfolkline's tourist business is focused on the motorist - it does not carry foot passengers or coaches on the Dunkirk route. The new ships have separate passenger and freight decks for vehicle loading and freight drivers and motorists are provided with different facilities.
SeaFrance, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, carried 3.2m passengers and 680,000 trucks in 2005. The company took over the old Sealink pool in 1996 and is the only French operator on the Calais-Dover route. It introduced the new SeaFrance Berlioz on to the Dover-Calais service in March last year.
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