Tim Waggott, Chief Executive,
Port of Dover, said:

“Our Chairman George Jenkins and I, together with our major ferry partners, Port staff, representatives of the freight industry and of course the Dover and wider Kent community are pleased to welcome the Minister to Dover. The scale and prolonged period of disruption is bad for us all and it is bad for the UK too. The Port handles trade to the value of £100 billion every year and every day that this situation in France continues costs the UK at least £250 million. That is simply unacceptable and incredibly damaging.”

The Minister witnessed the round-the-clock work being undertaken by the whole Port community to mitigate the impact on customers and the local community together with Kent Police, Highways England and all of the partner agencies within the Kent Resilience Forum dealing with the wider transport and welfare implications of Operation Stack.

Whilst at the Port, the Minister visited the Port’s dedicated Emergency Co-ordination Centre and Terminal Control from where the Port is spearheading its response in close cooperation with all of the key responders.

The Minister also took time to meet with some of the Port’s stakeholders, including the ferry operators P&O Ferries and DFDS Seaways.

Transport Minister, Robert Goodwill MP, said: “The disruption this industrial action is causing to cross-Channel travel is completely unacceptable. Today I have seen the huge effort that is going into dealing with the knock on impact it is having on Dover and across Kent. The Prime Minister has discussed the situation at Calais with the President Hollande and the need to stop the blockade and maintain port security, and the Home Secretary today met her French counterpart Bernard Cazeneuve. We need to see services return to normal as soon as possible.”

Mr Waggott added: “The Port is acutely aware and highly sympathetic to the impact that this is having on our customers. I cannot praise our staff enough for the incredible dedication and professionalism being shown in challenging conditions. Together with our ferry partners who have been equally resilient and proactive in finding ways of keeping some traffic moving to other ports, we are and will continue to do all that we can to minimise the impact of a situation completely out of our control. I can assure everyone that we will do everything possible to allow Europe’s busiest ferry port to do its job for the nation; unimpeded by others.”

The capital controls enforced by the Greek
Government on 28th June are continuing:

– All Greek
Banks are currently closed until Tuesday 7th July.

– ATM withdrawals from Greek credit and debit cards
have a limit of 60 euros per day per card.

– The Ministry for Economy, Infrastructure,
Shipping and Tourismin Greece has advised that there are no current
restrictions on foreign bank cards – all foreign bank card holder
tourists/passengers should have normal access to funds.

– Remittances from Greek banks to any non-Greek
bank are not possible and subject to approval from the Ministry of Finance.

– Credit / Debit cards are currently operating
without limits, as long as the receiving bank account is within Greece.

– Internet banking – bank transfers are currently
working normally as long as the receiving bank account is within Greece.

– With the above Cash to Master withdrawals are
affected and will not take place in any Greek port until at least 7th July.

All ISS operations are continuing in Greece
despite the latest local developments and ISS Piraeus personnel are
keeping suppliers and principals informed.

The current capital controls do not represent
a risk to any port operation for ships or their passengers calling under
ISS agency oversight in Greece at this time.

All principals funds sent to ISS in Greece are
guaranteed as ISS banking facilities are not based locally in any Greek
banks.

ISS will continue to monitor developments in Greece and keep its clients
updated.

Once all negotiations are concluded, the V&A Waterfront will invest just under R179 million to finance, design, and develop the terminal. In addition, the agreement includes operation, maintenance and transfer of ownership of the facility back to TNPA after a period of 20 years. The facility will remain at E berth, Duncan Dock, in the Port of Cape Town. Once completed, it will be able to accommodate the port’s current and future passenger vessel fleet. It is also envisaged that the upgraded facility will house value-added retail and hospitality services. The Port of Cape Town is one of the most scenic ports to sail into, set against the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain. Cape Town is South Africa’s oldest working harbour, and a mixed-use destination with not only a broad hotel offering but a host of leisure activities and tours that depart from the V&A Waterfront.

The award follows an open and public process in line with Transnet’s governance and procurement processes. The V&A Waterfront met all the requirements stipulated in the request for proposals to develop a facility that complies with world-class standards.The award is also in line with Transnet’s commitment to encourage private sector participation as a key element of the Market Demand Strategy, while at the same time playing a significant role in enhancing tourism and job creation in the Western Cape.

TNPA Chief Executive, Richard Vallihu, said: “As landlord and ports master planner, Section 56 of the National Ports Act mandates TNPA to contract with private terminal operators to design, construct, rehabilitate, develop, finance, maintain and operate port terminals or facilities.”

He said the Cape Town Cruise Terminal is one of the section 56 initiatives that Transnet has identified for the Western Cape. All international cruise liner vessels are required to dock at the Port of Cape Town as the first port of call in line with a Directive from the Minister of Home Affairs under the Immigration Act 13 of 2011.

“The upgraded Cape Town cruise terminal facility to be developed by V&A Waterfront will be a gateway to a unique African experience in cruise tourism,” added Vallihu.

“Transnet is excited about playing a role in entrenching Cape Town as a leading destination in Africa and the world. The city will benefit from a world-class facility that will attract greater international cruise liner calls, create jobs and strengthen the tourism offering of not only the Mother City, but South Africa as a whole,” he said.

V&A Waterfront CEO, David Green, said, ‘We recognise that cruise liner tourism is one of the fastest growing areas of tourism. Our area of responsibility is that of contributing positively to Cape Town, the Western Cape and South Africa. This award is an opportunity to positively contribute to the economy, job creation and providing a positive experience for all visitors.”

“The cruise terminal gives us the opportunity to extend a warm welcome to our fair city, and is important due to the first impression it will create of Cape Town,” said Green.

He said that there was great scope to improve the passenger experience upon disembarkation, and also the opportunity to work jointly with South African Tourism and cruise companies to grow tourism business.