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Plans to revive Port of Ramsgate hampered by failure to find an operator

Plans to revive a port that has been out of commercial operation for more than a decade have been dealt a major blow.

Since March 2023, Thanet District Council (TDC) has been searching for company to run the Port of Ramsgate.

Negotiations to find a concession operator for the Port of Ramsgate have hit a stumbling block. Picture: Google
Negotiations to find a concession operator for the Port of Ramsgate have hit a stumbling block. Picture: Google

Yet, despite an initial successful tender stage last year, the authority has been unable to proceed and no contracts have been offered.

A concession operator would be responsible for running a substantial part of the port, including 17.8 acres of land and the two roll-on roll-off ferry berths.

In a statement, a TDC spokesperson said: “A multi-stage procurement process began in August 2024, with the aim of attracting an operator for the port.

“Bidders were invited via an open procurement process to submit an initial tender for consideration.

“Despite a successful initial tender stage in November, the council has been unable to take discussions beyond the dialogue stage and, therefore, has not offered a contract via this process.

There has been no commercial ferry operation at the Port of Ramsgate since 2013. A Sally Line passenger vessel is pictured in 1988. Picture: Byrne Craigie Photos
There has been no commercial ferry operation at the Port of Ramsgate since 2013. A Sally Line passenger vessel is pictured in 1988. Picture: Byrne Craigie Photos

“In the immediate future, the council will continue to explore the options for establishing a port operator concession and will renew discussions with government about potential funding opportunities now that the agreed procurement process has ended.”

They added that a further report will be brought before TDC’s cabinet in the coming months to “formally agree the way forward.”

It was expected the port would only welcome back freight crossings, however council bosses previously said passenger ferries from Ramsgate to the continent are a possibility.

They said the service would "complement" Dover's busy service, which can "only expand so far post-Brexit".

The Port of Ramsgate covers an area of 34 acres and has been operated by the council since 1998.

Levelling up Funding has been allocated to the Port of Ramsgate. Picture: Chris Davey.
Levelling up Funding has been allocated to the Port of Ramsgate. Picture: Chris Davey.

Sally Line ran a passenger service from Ramsgate to Ostend and Dunkirk in the 1980s and 1990s.

There was also a hovercraft service from 1966 to 1982.

However, there has been no commercial ferry operation since 2013.

More recently, the port hosted the ad hoc arrival of trade car vessels from Zeebrugge until 2020.

Although there are currently no cross-channel services from Ramsgate, the port remains open with an established wind farm and aggregates operations based there.

Levelling Up Funding has also been allocated to improving the infrastructure at the Port of Ramsgate.

The prospective concessionaire was set to receive a grant of £4.5 million as a contribution to the delivery of capital works at the site.

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