London port opens new West Africa route

INTRO: A major shipping port near London has launched a new route - providing export opportunities to the UK from west African countries including Ghana and Nigeria...

Located on the River Thames, London Gateway is the closest shipping port to the UK capital, allowing easy access to the UK market.

Since launching in the summer, the route is already proving popular - as our UK correspondent Dan Whitehead reports...

IN: After setting sail...
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DUR: 2'10"

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SCRIPT:

VO 1: After setting sail from Antwerp in Belgium, the Frisia Helsinki docks at London Gateway...

Goods from West Africa are unloaded, before containers with UK goods are stacked up again, bound for Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria...

Tabare Dominguez from London Gateways says a wide variety of products are now making there way between West Africa and London...

SOT 1: Tabare Dominguez, London Gateway: "For example on the vessel you saw today, there are things in there coming from West Africa like bananas, cashew nuts, frozen fish, frozen poultry, a whole combination of food stuffs. The UK exports to West Africa is mainly manufactured goods, so you've got auto-parts, machinery and you've got things like chemicals and pharmaceuticals going to West Africa."

VO 2: DP World London Gateway opened in November 2013 at a cost of around 2.4 billion dollars and is one of the most technologically advanced ports. 

Much of the equipment is automated, meaning ships are in port for less time. 

Another  unique selling point of this port is the fact that the thousands of goods arriving from West Africa here are so close to the country's capital.

The service to West Africa Service has been running weekly since July - with hopes the frequency will increase. 

Weather dependent, the journey from London takes around 2 to 3 weeks.

Despite a long history of shipping to the region, experts such as Professor of Maritime studies at City University in London, John Carlton, say there are concerns about an increase in piracy in the area...

SOT 2: Prof. John Carlton, City University: "We're all very familiar with some of the east coast problems as it were, where there was piracy. We have seen in recent years a move towards the west coast areas there. Very different forms of piracy and intervention and things like that."

VO 4: It's hoped this new shipping route providing close access to the UK market place will create increased business opportunities for companies in West Africa. 

Dan Whitehead