Other Businesses

ABP Property

Our property division brings together an unrivalled land bank spanning 21 multi-modal locations around the country, with 960 hectares of port-based development land.

ABPmer

Drawing on 60 years of experience, ABP Marine Environmental Research (ABPmer) provides specialist marine environmental research and consultancy services.

UK Dredging

UK Dredging (UKD) operates the largest British-owned dredging fleet and specialises in the provision of reliable and cost effective port maintenance dredging services.

Associated British Ports (ABP) announces today that it has completed the acquisition of W.E. Dowds (Shipping) Ltd for an undisclosed sum

Established in 1960, Dowds is among the UK’s leading family-owned port operations businesses. The company operates a total of 10 separate warehouses with a combined area of over 50,000 sq m based at ABP Newport, South Wales.

James Cooper Chief Executive of ABP

“ABP's acquisition of W.E. Dowds follows our long-established partnership with the Company at the Port of Newport.

"The deal builds on Dowds' excellent track record serving the UK steel market, enabling the business to continue to grow by providing first class customer service.

"As such, the transaction will also help secure further growth and success for the Port of Newport for many years to come."

Matthew Kennerley ABP Director, South Wales

“We’ve been working closely with W.E. Dowds for many years and the business is an important part of the Port of Newport’s success. We’re looking forward to welcoming our new colleagues and achieving even greater success in the future."

Charles Dowds Managing Director of W.E. Dowds

"We have been pleased to work with ABP and its predecessor for over 50 years. Throughout that time ABP has demonstrated a strong commitment to the success of Dowds and the Port of Newport. The £4 million investment in the reconstruction of the Shed 5 facility is the most recent example.

“ABP's acquisition of Dowds demonstrates that their commitment to investment continues. We look forward to our future within the ABP family, which gives us an even more powerful platform to drive further growth."