Shipping to Port of Southampton

The Port of Southampton is a passenger and cargo port in the central part of the south coast of England. The modern era in the history of the Port of Southampton began when the first dock was inaugurated in 1843. The Port of Southampton has been owned and operated by Associated British Ports since 1982, and it is the busiest cruise terminal and second largest container port in the UK. The volume of port traffic at the Port of Southampton categorizes the city of Southampton as a Medium-Port City globally.

The Port of Southampton is ten miles (16 km) inland, between the confluence of the rivers Test and Itchen and the head of the mile-wide drowned valley known as Southampton Water. The mouth of the inlet is protected from the effects of foul weather by the mass of the Isle of Wight, which gives the Port of Southampton a sheltered location. Additional advantages that the Port of Southampton enjoys include a densely populated hinterland and close proximity to London, and excellent rail and road links to the rest of Britain which bypass the congestion of London.

As one of the country’s busiest and most successful deep-water ports, the Port of Southampton is a natural choice for a wide range of customers and trades, with facilities to handle virtually any type of cargo. The Port of Southampton’s natural deep-water harbor and unique double tide allow unrestricted access for the world’s largest vessels. ABP Southampton provides VTS & pilotage services throughout Southampton Water and much of the Central & Eastern Solent.

The Port of Southampton is the UK's number one vehicle handling port, Europe's leading turnaround cruise port and the UK's most productive container port. Operated by DP World Southampton, the Port of Southampton Terminal is home to the new 500m deepwater quay SCT5, which was purpose built to handle the biggest ships in the world.

A major dredging program ensures that 15.5m draft vessels - the biggest currently afloat - can access the Port of Southampton on most days of the year.

The Port of Southampton is less than two miles from the M27 and has direct rail links to the main railway network for both freight and passenger trains. Additionally, the Port of Southampton is served by Southampton International Airport, while Gatwick and Heathrow airports are also within easy reach.

Why the Port of Southampton has an Ideal Location for Shipping to the UK:

- Ideally located on the south coast close to international shipping lanes and less than 100 miles from mainland Europe, Southampton Port is one the UK's leading ports.

- Around 1.7 million cruise passengers per year have the Port of Southampton as their preferred choice of port for cruise holidays.

- The Port of Southampton is home to the UK fleets of both P&O Cruises and Cunard Line and is used regularly by Royal Caribbean International, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines and Saga Cruises.

- The Port of Southampton consists of four state-of-the-art cruise terminals in operation, all with ship-to-shore walkways.