Handling more than £144bn of trade each year, the Port of Dover plays a central role in UK supply chains. Around 2 million freight vehicles and 10 million passengers pass through the port annually, representing one third of all UK–EU trade in goods.
CEO Doug Bannister describes Dover as “probably the single most economically consequential piece of UK national infrastructure,” underlining its importance for food supply, medicines and just-in-time manufacturing logistics.
The port is calling for targeted infrastructure investment, including support for the Lower Thames Crossing, improvements to the A2 access road, and additional secure lorry parking capacity in Kent to strengthen supply chain resilience.
Dover is also investing in digital border processing, including a new facility to support the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES), and exploring the creation of a green shipping corridor on the Dover–Calais route. Electrification of the short straits would require a major upgrade of the port’s electricity supply, from 8 MW today to around 170 MW.