These major ports are divided between passenger ports and freight ports. Passenger ports handle around 23 million international travellers every year, freight ports import and export 95% of everything that the UK buys and sells.

Passenger Ports

These connect British people to the rest of Europe and are essential to their way of life, almost every Brit can remember their first trip on a ferry as a child.

Below we have listed for you some of the most important ones, but please be aware that there are many more all over the UK that offer ferry services to travellers, so if you don’t see your destination listed here don’t worry.

Dover, Kent
This is the major traffic route from the UK to France ( 90 minutes crossing time), crossing the English Channel (or ‘La Manche’ as they say in France). It is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world. Ferries, Hovercrafts and hydrofoils cross the channel every day of the year in all weather conditions. A large percentage of Brits crossing the channel do so just for the day, to take advantage of the excellent continental shopping available to them on the other side.

Holyhead, Wales
This is the route between the 2 major islands that make up the British Isles. From here you can catch a ferry across the Irish Sea to Dublin, a truly excellent part of the world (3 hours crossing time). It is also where you can travel to the Isle of Mann, an island principality in the middle of the Irish Sea, whose ancestors can be traced back to Viking settlers, and is said to have the oldest democracy in the world.

Portsmouth, Dorset
This is the major route between England and parts of south eastern France, such as Normandy (6 hours crossing time). It is also where you can catch a ferry to northern Spain (36 hours crossing time) or the Channel Islands (7 hours crossing time). Portsmouth used to be where people would catch the ferry to New York before air travel made it a thing of the past. But you can still see many cruise ships here ready to take people on exotic trips around the world.

Hull, Yorkshire
This is the main port that connects the north of England to Europe. You can catch the ferry from here to Zeebrugge, Belgium (12 hours crossing time) or Rotterdam, Holland (11 hours crossing time)

Stranraer, Scotland
This port allows you to travel between Scotland and Ireland, with Belfast, Northern Ireland’s capital, being the most popular destination (105 minutes crossing time). You can also use this port to access the many beautiful and remote islands that make up much of Scotland’s northern territories, where you will see some of the most fascinating wildlife in the UK.

Rosyth, Scotland
This port is located on Scotland’s east coast and is very close to Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital city. From here you can catch a ferry to Zeebrugge in Belgium (18 hours crossing time)

Harwich, Essex
This is a smaller port than the others but is listed here because it is the major route from the south to Holland (6 hours crossing time)

Freight Ports

You are unlikely to visit a freight port unless you are a lorry driver or merchant sailor, but they are located around the country and play a huge role in providing Brits with everything from toothpaste to garden patio furniture. Folkestone and Grimsby are the two largest.

Britain’s Maritime History

Britain owes its place in the world to its nautical past. It was control of the seas that allowed Britain to build its global empire during the 18th and 19th centuries and establish trading routes around the world. Essentaly, this is why English is such a major global language today.

Proof of just how important the sea has been to British history can be seen in London's Trafalgar Square monument to Admiral Lord Nelson, Nelson’s column. It is not only the largest monument of any British historical figure, it was also the first time that any kind of monument was erected in honour of a person born outside of the British aristocracy. It hold’s pride of place right in the centre of the Britain’s capital city.

Although the world has changed a lot since the days of Lord Nelson, Britain still depends on the sea for much of its economy, reflected in the fact that it still has the 10th largest fleet of merchant seas vessels in the world and some of the world’s leading shipping insurance companies right in the City of London.

The United Nations Maritime Organisation is also located in the City of London.
 
By John Hillman

To be listed here click

USEFUL WORDS

Kinds of Boat
ship / vessel = any large boat used for carrying passengers or goods by sea

ferry  = a large boat which transports people and/or vehicles

freighter / cargo ship = a ship that carries goods from one place to another

(oil) tanker = a ship that is used for carrying large amounts of petrol, oil etc.

fishing boat / trawler = a special boat that is used for catching fish
lifeboat = a boat that is used to rescue people who are in danger at sea; a small boat kept on a ship and used by people to escape if the ship is going to sink

raft = a small boat made of rubber or plastic that is filled with air; a flat structure made of pieces of wood tied together and used as a boat

Groups of Boats
A group of boats that sail and work together is a fleet.  e.g. a fishing fleet

A group of boats travelling together is a flotilla or a convoy.   e.g. the boats travelled in convoy

TRAVELLING BY BOAT
You sail a sailing boat, row a rowing boat, paddle a canoe or kayak.

Go sailing / yachting / rowing / canoeing.

When you get on a ship you board (it), or embark. (formal)

When you get off a ship you go ashore or disembark. (formal)

To begin a journey by sea is to set sail (from/to-for a place).
When you are on a ship you are on board or aboard.

When you are sailing on the sea in a ship you are at sea.

A holiday where you travel by boat and visit a number of places is a cruise.

A long journey by sea is a voyage.

A bedroom on a ship = a cabin

A bed = a bunk

The top outside floor of a ship or boat = the deck

The kitchen on a ship = the galley

The group of people who work on a ship = the crew

GRAMMAR SPOT

Tenses for Describing Future Plans

Use ‘be going to + verb’…
To talk about intentions:

I’m going to take the ferry over to France this summer.

To make predictions based on evidence:

It’s going to be a rough crossing – look at the sea!

Use the Present Continuous…

To talk about arrangements you’ve made for the future:
I’m taking a cruise in September

Use the Present Simple…
To talk about fixed future events, especially with programmes or timetables:
The boat arrives at 11.45

Use ‘will + verb’ to talk about spontaneous decisions…
A: ‘I’m going for a walk on deck’

B: ‘Great!  I’ll come with you!’