Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading ports group, is delighted to announce another significant step in its £23m Millbay Docks transformation, within the Port of Plymouth.
The first section of a new Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridge (SPBB) on the West Wharf have been installed, with the remaining sections due to be installed in early 2025.
Ashley Curnow, ABP’s Divisional Port Manager for Wales and the Southwest said: “We are delighted to be making good progress with the upgrade works at Millbay Docks, which will facilitate more freight and trade, supporting the wider Plymouth economy. These improvements will also enhance the passenger experience for Brittany Ferries customers and open new opportunities for the port’s cruise business, which is going from strength to strength. This improved infrastructure is a testament to ABP’s commitment to driving growth and sustainability at Millbay Docks.”
The SPBB has been supplied by ADELTE, a Spanish engineering group based in Barcelona, and the world-leading specialist in the design and manufacture of SPBBs for Cruise and Ferry Terminals.
When operational in early 2025, this new state-of-the-art bridge will help to streamline the embarkation and disembarkation process for foot passengers of Brittany Ferries and cruise vessels.
The section of the bridge that has been installed arrived aboard Brittany Ferries’ Pont Aven, direct from Santander in Spain. The remaining sections will arrive into Portsmouth and travel the remainder of the journey to Plymouth by road.
Steve Lawrie, Plymouth Port Operations Manager, Brittany Ferries said: “We’re delighted to see this latest milestone in the construction of the passenger boarding bridge, as part of the wider upgrades to port infrastructure at Millbay Docks. Once complete, this state-of-the-art bridge will improve foot passenger access to our ships in Plymouth making boarding and disembarkation smoother, more comfortable, and more attractive. It’s a clear expression of our combined commitment with ABP and Plymouth City Council to offer the very best possible conditions for our passengers travelling through the Port of Plymouth.”
Martin Westphal, Group Marketing Director of ADELTE, said: “We are incredibly proud to contribute to this transformative project at Millbay Docks, which marks a significant milestone in enhancing both passenger experience and port infrastructure. The Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridge, complete with enclosed walkways leading to quay level, is a state-of-the-art solution that reflects our ongoing commitment to innovation within the maritime sector. We are confident that this cutting-edge infrastructure will provide both cruise and ferry passengers with a smoother, more efficient boarding and disembarking experience, further solidifying Plymouth’s position as a key hub for cruise and ferry travel.”
Millbay Docks has been a key hub for Brittany Ferries for over 40 years and includes daily services to Roscoff in France, as well as weekly services to Santander in northern Spain.
Works to upgrade infrastructure at Millbay, which began in December 2023, are intended to help secure the long-term future of the Ferry Terminal, strengthen the port’s freight capability, increase the port’s green credentials and grow the offering to the cruise market.
The works has involved the installation of 30 steel tubular piles, which means the West Wharf now has a 60-metre area capable of accommodating 100-tonne
cranes, and therefore significantly increasing the load capacity of the berth. This strengthening of the West Wharf has been integral to enable subsequent works to happen – the initial strengthening works were funded by the UK Government as part of the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport seed capital programme.
Plymouth City Council Leader, Tudor Evans said: “It is great to see this key port improvement sail in.
“This is part of a series of strategic infrastructure developments at Millbay to secure the long-term future of the ferry terminal, improve passenger experience and strengthen its freight capability.
“Our recent port strategy emphasised the importance of our ports to the city’s economic life and of investing in its infrastructure so that they can continue to flourish well into the future, so it’s very satisfying to see this very physical example arrive.
“We signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ABP and Brittany Ferries pledging to work together more and this relationship is really bearing fruit.”
Additional plans involve refurbishing the passenger terminal building and implementing traffic management measures to reduce processing times for inbound traffic.
All works are scheduled to be completed by March 2025.
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