CROSS-Channel ferries could berth at both the Eastern and Western docks at Dover in future, with a “one-way” system of ships entering and leaving the port.

That’s just one of the possibilities included in Dover Harbour Board’s 30-year masterplan which is revealed to the public at the Port Consultative Committee tomorrow, when details of how the board expects to cope with the increased demand for its services will be explained.

The first phase of the plan has been drawn up by consultants Halcrow, MDS Transmodel and Eagle Lyon Pope.

It is expected that freight traffic will increase from 1.85 million units last year to 4.29 million in 2034, and passenger traffic from 16.4 million last year to 27.2 million in 2034.

Cruise business could increase by eight per cent, and a 55 per cent rise is forecast in the importation of fresh produce but storage is a problem. Slow growth is expected in the occupancy of the marina, and the trade in aggregates will probably maintain its present level.

The possibility of deep sea container trade development is put at nil as it would require large scale and expensive development outside the harbour, the container sector would have strong competition from other ports, and although there could be an opportunity to attract a trade in cars, space would again be a constraint and a rail link would be essential.

The port’s managing director, Bob Goldfield, said talks were going on with the cross-Channel ferry operators and other port users. Discussions are also being held with the port of Calais where the authorities are drawing up a similar masterplan.

Mr Goldfield said the board’s fundamental duty was to invest in facilities at the port to ensure its smooth running. “We need to work out a long-term financial strategy for investment. There is no one part of our business that is not going to grow.”

On the plans to develop the Western Dock area, Mr Goldfield said: “The centre of gravity will move from the Eastern to the Western docks. We need to look at the Western Docks and re-asses it.

“The possibility of extending outside the existing harbour has diminished considerably. Westport is now about the development of the Western Docks.” The original Westport plan, which involved development off Shakespeare Beach, was “too expensive and not required”.

The Western Docks development could relieve the traffic pressure on Townwall Street and would also be beneficial in case of a problem at the Eastern Docks, such as the security alert which closed the docks two weeks ago.

A one-way shipping system using the existing harbour entrances - or creating a new central entrance - is being discussed.

A project is currently underway to look at rail freight returning to the port.

Mr Goldfield revealed that work is slightly behind schedule on the construction of the two new berths - numbers eight and nine - at the Eastern Docks. One will be ready in the spring of next year and the other in the summer.

Originally, there were plans for another two - 10 and 11 - but these will now probably be built at the Western Docks. Whether or not they will be tied to any particular ferry operator has yet to be decided.

Present forecasts suggest that if nothing is done, the port will reach its capacity by 2017, or even as early as 2010 to 2011.