Sheerness port

The volume of fresh fruit and vegetables coming into the UK via the port of Sheerness has fallen 18 per cent in 2011, according to kentonline.co.uk.

The 2010 total of 440,000 tonnes was already below half of the 2003/04 figure of 1m tonnes.

Richard Thornby, the estates manager for operator Peel Ports, said: 'Produce moves around the world these days in refrigerated containers whereas the port of Sheerness is geared towards palletised fruit – so the volumes which have moved through Sheerness have depreciated.'

The downward trend is encouraging Peel to think about diversifying and it is working with Vestas on a planning application for an offshore wind turbine factory on the port site.

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