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The five Haven ports of Felixstowe, Harwich International, Harwich Navyard, Ipswich and Mistley represent the single most important cluster of ports in the UK. Based on their central role as hubs and generators of economic activity, the Haven Gateway Partnership provides a framework within which its partner organisations - from private and public sectors - can work together to promote economic opportunities and secure the future prosperity of the region.

More than 400 million tons of shipping movements a year make Harwich Haven the UK's most important deepwater harbour. In European terms, its waters are considered second only to Rotterdam for handling the world's biggest container vessels, and the five ports of the Haven include Felixstowe, the fourth largest container port in Europe and number one in the UK.

Yet many felt that the Haven's national and global profile did not match its undoubted significance in the ports, transport and logistics sector - and the Haven Gateway Partnership set out to correct this.

Today, the Haven Gateway is successfully developing a strong identity. The message is getting across.

The original Vision of the Partnership was that by 2004 the Haven Gateway Partnership will:-

• Be recognised at a regional, national and European level as a major economic growth point;
• Have secured external funding to implement major joint economic regeneration initiatives; and
• Have consolidated the position of the Haven Gateway as one of Europe's principal international port complexes whilst respecting the local environment.

The Partnership has made considerable progress in achieving most if not all of the above and has agreed that its longer term vision for the period to 2011 is now:-

To deliver a high quality environment for its residents, workers and visitors, by capitalising on its location as a key gateway, realising its potential for significant substantial growth, addressing its needs for economic regeneration, creating an additional focus for growth in hi-tech, knowledge based employment, related to the Cambridge clusters, and protecting and enhancing its high quality

Key priorities identified include:-

• the dualling of the A120 road to Harwich;
• improvements to the Felixstowe-Nuneaton rail track;
• setting up a sustainable ferry service linking Harwich, Felixstowe and Shotley;
• promotion of tourism, including attracting more cruise business to the subregion;
• training and education; and
• the provision of broadband access across the region.

The Haven Gateway Partnership has been successful in it's bid to the Communities and Local Government department. Click here for further information.

For further details visit http://www.haven-gateway.org/