Lauren Jolliffe, aged 8, of Dover was this year’s lucky first prize winner of the Dover Marina Open Day kid’s competition winning an exclusive VIP tour of the Port of Dover.
Mum, Sharon and Lauren were shown around by the port’s CSR Officer, Jenny Beacon. First stop was a visit to the port’s Eastern Arm and Port Control. Situated close to the Eastern Entrance where ferries enter and leave the port she learnt about VTS (Vessel Traffic Service), the marine traffic monitoring system used by the port which is similar to air traffic control for aircraft. She learnt how Port Control Officers manage over 140 vessel movements per day, including Cruise ships, ferries and yachts, in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. And from here she also exchanged a friendly wave with a ferry Captain on his Bridge as his ferry left the port on one of the 60 crossings per day.
To find out how shore side operations are monitored and managed, Lauren called into Terminal Control, the operational nerve centre for the Port of Dover. From the Control Room, on the top floor of the building she had a great view of the port in action and learnt about the sophisticated traffic management system and port of Dover Police.
For the last stop on the VIP tour, everyone took to the sea on the Dover Harbour Patrol Launch (HPL), one of the Port’s dedicated vessels that patrols the Harbour 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in all weathers. The HPL’s duties include guiding vessels safely into the Harbour and ensuring that, for safety, everyone using the Harbour abides by its rules.
At the end of her tour, Lauren was presented with a cuddly Sammy the Seal and a book about environment and the planet to remind her of her special day. "It was really good and lots of fun, I especially enjoyed going out on the Harbour Patrol Launch" she said.
Jenny Beacon, CSR Officer at the Port of Dover said: "It was a real pleasure to show Lauren around and explain how Europe’s busiest ferry port operates. She was given a detailed insight into the day-to-day running of the Port and the many different jobs and people working together to keep this vital transport hub moving."
