Logistics giant DP World starts work on driver welfare facility at Southampton hub

By Giles Gwinnett

20 December 2023

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Global logistics giant DP World is spending £15 million on a new driver welfare facility at its Southampton hub for heavy goods vehicle (HGV) drivers passing through the port, it was reported.

Construction has begun on the new 7,500 square metre site, which will feature a restaurant, cafe, bathrooms, showers and parking for over 120 lorries with 24-hour security.

Southampton City Council approved the project, which is expected to ease residential traffic concerns and reduce transport emissions in the area.

It comes after DP World secured a land lease from port operator Associated British Ports earlier in 2023.

"With our £15m outlay on this outstanding new facility for drivers we are investing in a vital part of the supply chain. At a time when the pressure to manage costs, maintain reliability and improve speed has never been greater, we are acutely aware that supply chains rely on people who deserve to be looked after," said Jonathan Scott, DP World Southampton head of engineering.

DP World has previously committed to pouring £1 billion into UK operations over 10 years.

The company currently runs logistics and port facilities across 78 countries and now handles an estimated 10% of global trade.

In September this year, it launched a new programme in the UK to help cargo owners reduce their carbon emissions by shifting from road to rail.

The Modal Shift Programme, being trialled at DP World’s Southampton logistics hub, offers customers a financial incentive to move their imported goods off the road and onto rail, cutting carbon emissions and air pollutants.

The programme could prevent as much as 30,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted per year. The financial incentive will be paid for by a relatively small charge on all import laden containers coming through DP World Southampton.

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By Giles Gwinnett

Giles Gwinnett is a writer at The Business Magazine. He has been a journalist for more than 20 years and covered a vast array of topics at a range of media settings - in print and online. After his NCTJ newspaper training, he became a reporter in Hampshire before moving to a news agency in Gloucestershire. In recent years, he has been covering the financial markets along with company news for an investor-focused web portal. His many interests include politics, energy and the environment. He lives in Dorset.