How Integral Is Southampton Port To The Local Economy & Infrastructure?

In episode five of our second series of Let’s Talk South Coast, our host Nella Pang is joined by Ben Ross, Senior Surveyor at ABP to talk about the role that Southampton port plays in bringing investment and economic development to the area and their plans to continue and grow this in the future.

What you’ll hear about in this episode:

The position Southampton Port is currently in and how they are trying to position themselves for the future
The 3 core sectors that underpin ABP’s business
How important the cruise ship business is to Southampton’s economy
The benefits for businesses exporting goods to be based in Southampton
The new opportunities for the area with Solent Freeport
ABP’s commitment to sustainability
Their current port-centric manufacturing developments
The impact that Brexit and the pandemic had on ABP
Where Ben sees future investment going

Key Insights From This Episode:

Southampton is the UK’s number one vehicle handling port. So pre-pandemic, and numbers have fallen a little bit since then due to various issues with supply chains, but pre-pandemic, we were handling about 900,000 vehicles per year. – Ben
There are great opportunities across the port and for the region. In a way, I think Freeport could be seen as the icing on the cake really. – Ben
ABP is by far the largest landlord within our region, covering over 900 acres of land for commercial and cruise operations with an additional 875 acres for potential port expansion. – Nella
ABP has cut carbon emissions across the group by over 35% since 2014. – Ben
We are an export port and primarily we export outside of the EU, so something like 70% of our trade is actually outside the EU. So, I think we’ve been quite well sheltered from the impact of Brexit. – Ben

About Our Guest:

Ben Ross is a Senior Surveyor at Associated British Ports, the UK’s leading ports group, where he has worked for just over 5 years. Prior to this, he was Estates Manager at Marina Developments Ltd.

Companies Mentioned:

Shout Outs:

Prof. John Barker

About Our Host:

Nella Pang

I left the corporate world in 2020 and launched Omega RE a commercial advisory firm in a pandemic, whilst on maternity. Brave some people would say. 🚀

The pandemic has taught many of us a thing or two, particularly on how we can do business. I support businesses to navigate the complexities of Commercial Real Estate, so they can achieve their business objectives through their Real Estate decisions.

Lease negotiations can be a minefield. Even small mistakes can drive up costs. That’s why I will represent your interests every step of the way, ensuring you receive full value of our experience and market knowledge.

With over 18 years’ experience in the Commercial Property Market having worked for the big corporates Jones Lang LaSalle Limited, BNP Paribas Real Estate and Vail Williams.

I want to be able to share my corporate knowledge with my clients, whilst offering a more personal dedicated commercial advisory service.

Having acted for a wide range of clients from major pension funds to private investors, small businesses and individuals. I love meeting people and I am passionate about adding value to my clients business and watching their business thrive.

About Omega RE

Omega RE is a commercial property advisory firm based on the South Coast. Providing expert advice to Landlords, Occupiers in the industrial, office and retail markets.

Omega RE is always thinking ‘Outside the Box’ in our advice to clients and the way we do business. We don’t settle for mediocre, we challenge the norm and are dedicated to finding solutions that is best for our clients.

We are a people business, based on strong relationships and partnerships, and we offer a personal level of service.

As the market evolves, we will too adapt to be successful and want the same for our clients. We are committed to finding innovative ways of marketing and how to do things more efficiently.

We will never stagnate.

We are disciplined in everything we do, we take time to understand the situation and set a bespoke strategy for each client. Not one size fits all. We do not cut corners or take shortcuts and our integrity is undisputed.

Providing clients’ a hands-on approach to finding the perfect property; office, industrial, warehouse or retail space to meet business needs and negotiating the best commercial lease terms, is what we do best.

We come to work because we’re passionate about providing expert, innovative, independent advice to clients. We want to help businesses navigate the complexities of Commercial Real Estate.

Twitter @omega_renews
Instagram @omegare.re
Facebook @omegare6
TikTok @omegare6

Sponsors:

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