A major commercial port is set to receive a £30 million investment into a new berth to meet growing demand.

The Peel Ports Group says it will be developing a roll-on, roll-off (RoRo) berth and floating pontoon at Sheerness.

It is set to increase capacity for RoRo cargo handling, catering for larger vessels exceeding 230m in length overall (LOA).

They carry commodities such as automotive, paper reels and timber, construction machinery and building materials, project cargo, agribulks [goods such as animal feed and grain] and steel.

The port plays a crucial role in driving supply chains across the country – particularly for the automotive industry – with 300,000 vehicles being processed at the site each year.

Both Volkswagen and CEVA use Sheerness as the primary location for their southern UK operations.

On-site construction is set to begin in March next year, with the removal of existing infrastructure before piling is installed, followed by the installation of a new pontoon.

At the moment the project is in the design and manufacturing phase.

It is expected to be operational by summer 2025.

Richard Goffin, port director at Peel Ports Great Yarmouth and London Medway, said: “The Port of Sheerness plays a hugely important role in the handling and processing of a broad range of commodities, whether it is automobiles, paper, or construction materials, ensuring that they reach their destination without delay.

“This £30m project not only shows our ambition to grow our offering to a range of industries, but it also represents the next stage of significant investment into the port’s infrastructure which will bolster our position as a leader in handling RoRo vessels.”

In addition to larger ships, the pontoon will support quarter ramp vessels on both sides, plus a stern ramp on the adjacent berth.

The investment comes after Finnlines launched a new freight service in September from Finland to Sheerness.

There are further connections available to Belgium, Spain and Ireland, which will be operated with three Finneco-class hybrid RoRo vessels.

Each ship holds a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres, the equivalent to around 400 trailers, which will improve the route network and provide customers with shorter transit times.