Ro-ro shift at Pompey
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A MARKED SHIFT towards roll-on/roll-off cargo handling can be seen in figures published by the City of Portsmouth's harbour authorities.
Whereas traditional freight trade through the port dropped between 1978 and 1982 by five per cent, roll-on/roll-off trade increased by 50 per cent.
Less encouraging though was the drop in growth rate during the last few years. Between 1978 and 1979 trade increased by 38 per cent; by 1981/1982 this growth had dropped to only 0.04 per cent.
Continental freight traffic fell by 10 per cent during 1981 and 1982 — but this was balanced by a steady rise in Channel Islands trade.
Freight units passing through the port totalled 26,943 in 1978, rising to 40,499 in 1982. This traffic was divided almost equally between Continental ports and the Channel Islands — although Continental traffic rose to 62 per cent during 1981.