Working in partnership
The ferry operation at the Port of Dover is an efficient and coordinated system of infrastructure provision (the port authority), border processing (Police Aux Frontières and Border Force) and check-in, traffic assembly and loading (the ferry operators – DFDS, Irish Ferries and P&O Ferries).
Led by the port authority, all partners come together to jointly plan and deliver the necessary resource for the swiftest passage through the port system based on detailed traffic projections for each holiday getaway period, working alongside local agencies.
Delivering the best experience
After experiencing our first busy summer getaway post-pandemic in 2022, the Port of Dover has worked hard with our partners to deliver a series of improvements to our shared operation, engaged in extensive and thorough planning for peak periods, and made continual investments that support the ferry operation and provide customers with the best experience.
We care about every passenger that chooses to travel on the summer holiday via the Port of Dover and are committed to ensuring the best experience possible as you transit through on your summer holiday. The Port of Dover has worked with our partners to deliver several key operational measures to ensure this:
- Alongside our ferry operators, we’re working with coach customers to spread travel demand and help smooth peak times
- Following the success of half term, the Port has reinstated the designated Coach Processing Facility on the approach to the ferry terminal to smooth flows to the port and conduct the additional Advanced Passenger Information (API) checks
- Plans include improving flow rates for all traffic types, including cars, coaches and HGVs.
- The Port has installed additional border control infrastructure to enhance coach processing capacity at the French Border by 133% (from three to seven positions). While two of the booths installed to enhance capacity for Summer 2022 will once again be utilised for tourist traffic to enhance throughput, providing the Port with up to 9 lanes of car traffic for tourists, in addition to our freight processing capacity.
- The Port is sharing hour-by-hour projections for every day of the summer getaway with operational partners for them to plan their resources and processes
- We’re also bringing back our team of friendly passenger champions, located ahead of border controls, who will be on hand to help passengers during peak periods. Passengers will also find additional welfare facilities ahead of border controls.