Big interview: Simon Bird on the economy, freeport status, hydrogen and ferry terminal progress

Humber port director Simon Bird has started 2023 at full throttle, with three huge plans for major expansion progressing as the new year dawns. Proposals for a significant terminal at Immingham to handle a key green hydrogen feedstock and import carbon for storage is entering its public consultation, as the neighbouring three-berth addition for Stena Line moves to the development consent order application stage. The ABP team is also anticipating an imminent final approval of the business case for freeport status, having initially been the forerunner of now-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s bold bid to counter any Brexit impact with a global trade boost. It comes against a recessionary backdrop that can often be felt first on the quaysides, with drop offs in demand for materials ranging from construction to fast moving consumer goods more evident earlier in the supply chain than in most pockets of the economy. Read more: New ferry terminal will 'bring confidence to economy' with international trade investment Mr Bird said: “We are all worried about the economy, the world economy, driven by what has happened and continues to happen in Ukraine, and the impact on the European markets; it is a volatile time. “We’re just having some extraordinarily warm weather at the moment [said speaking in 13 degrees at noon on Immingham Container Terminal] with gas prices having been high, now there is lots of gas available and they are lower, which is good news for the consumer. The cost of living is clear though, people are unable to spend as much money as they have done previously, and all these factors make it a difficult year for the port sector, and economy generally. We need to manage day to day, keep our customer service levels where they need to be and keep looking at costs.” While the now may be steady, long-term is looking strong. Launching the innovative hydrogen-fuelled container handling plant trial, a forerunner to much grander plans with global industrial gases giant Air Products, he was looking forward to huge progress being made on the eastern wing of the port. The pair are developing plans for ammonia import and hydrogen production, with land outside the East Gate to be developed. A total of 1,400 jobs could be created. Environmental assessments have been ongoing over recent months at the site off Kings Road, with a direct feed from the river in engineering design. It enters public consultation in days. “It starts next week. We will be building the marine infrastructure and terminal to handle the large vessels importing green ammonia, transporting it to produce hydrogen. You can see the impact it could have with what we are now doing. “We know the Humber is the largest producer of CO2, and as the government has said, if you are going to decarbonise the UK, you start on the Humber.” ABP has certainly done that itself. Warehouses on the port estates in Hull and Immingham boast some of the largest roof-mounted solar arrays in the UK, providing power to high voltage electrical craneage, the bulk of a £50 million pan-Humber investment completed through lockdown. Hydrogenated vegetable oil powers other specialist vehicles, while both pilot cars and fork-lift trucks are also plugged in. On the latest trial addition, the Terberg tractor used to shunt containers around the terminal, providing the vital link between ship and onward transportation, Mr Bird said: “We see it as a really exciting initiative, we’ve had the trial going for a couple of weeks and have proven what it can do. Trucks are currently supplying it, but when we have hydrogen available at scale, we will be able to refuel on the doorstep and we expect it to be cost comparable.” The plant itself would be nationally significant, potentially supplying 5 per cent of the UK requirement. A £4.6 billion economic benefit has been envisaged, with hundreds of millions to be spent should it get the go-ahead. “We expect to enter it into the planning process in the middle of the year, quarter two or quarter three, and that will take 12 months, so by the middle of next year we expect to be able to start the project,” Mr Bird said. It will follow the development consent order path of the Immingham Eastern Ro-Ro Terminal, first revealed a year ago in a £100 million 50-year deal with Stena Line. “The development consent order application has gone in for that, that has gone to the government, and it will take a year to come through,” Mr Bird said, underlining how well it had been received by the sector. “What we are seeing with roll-on roll-off vessels, is that they are all getting wider and longer,” he said. “Vessels we welcome through the lock at Immingham, when they are replaced just won’t fit. Some will therefore move to the outer harbour, so some of the business just goes out to that, so it is not a massive game-changer on truck movements. “We’ve put a lot of work into the design, and how vessels will operate. It is a very busy area, and the marine team have worked on modelling and are comfortable with it. It is a big investment, £100 million - it is long-term infrastructure.” The final element is the freeport status, with the Humber having been named as the leading bid when applications were first considered with Mr Sunak as chancellor. He had been welcomed to Immingham by Mr Bird, and had also taken in Siemens Gamesa’s blade plant in Hull on a separate visit, getting a real feel for port-centric manufacturing opportunities. “We’re hoping the government will approve the freeport during the course of January, and we can then start pulling together exactly what that means for the region,” Mr Bird said. “It will go forward with one tax site, east of Hull, which is important to get established, and as we go add a site on the South Bank and one at Goole That will be a process that we will go through.” Original plans were for South Korea monopile manufacturer SeAH to be the anchor of a tax site taking in the Able Marine Energy Park at North Killingholme, but the investment was lost to Teesside. As it was ironed out and new investment zones were proposed under Liz Truss’ brief tenure in 10 Downing Street, the impact was assessed. Mr Bird said: “Everyone has been working very hard to get it established. ABP has been funding it, I have been chairing it, with a lot of work put in by the team. We’ll be happy to get it over the line, as it is two years of funding we didn’t expect. But with operations spanning the North and South Bank we were ideally placed to articulate and advance the Humber as a freeport, with the four local authorities’ engagement.” Public, private and government engagement will now be vital in taking forward all huge plans as it shapes up to be a pivotal first quarter and year for port progress.

Toyota Executive: 'We've Gained Insights From the bZ4X Situation'

Michael Smith 

Toyota's "multi-pathway" strategy is set to undergo evaluation soon. Additionally, Hyundai seeks to engage with Trump, while Tesla outperforms Audi. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Generally speaking, I wouldn't dismiss Toyota in the competition for electric vehicles or any emerging transportation technology. However, my optimism has its boundaries. Despite Toyota enjoying a remarkable year in the U.S. in 2024, largely due to its hybrid models, signs of trouble are emerging in various global markets. The effectiveness of its "multi-pathway" strategy—developing a variety of powertrains—is poised for a significant test in several crucial regions. One particular market provides insight into the future direction of Toyota's electric vehicles. That kicks off this Monday edition of Critical Materials, our morning roundup of auto industry and technology news. We're in a bit of a post-CES 2025 news drought today, which is fine by me, but expect more coverage from InsideEVs about the rest of last week's trade show soon. Additionally on the agenda today: Tesla surpasses Audi in global sales for the first time, while Hyundai reaches out to President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to return to the White House in just one week. Let's explore further. 30%: Enhancing the bZ4X Experience View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Image credit: Toyota 2025 Toyota Urban Cruiser Toyota stands out as one of the last automakers that genuinely functions on a global scale, capable of delivering various vehicles tailored for different regions. In Japan, you’ll find efficient city cars, while the United States enjoys robust trucks like the Tacoma and Tundra. Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa are served with classic diesel Land Cruisers—it's a diverse lineup. Toyota offers a range of vehicles, including traditional combustion engines, hybrids, and hydrogen-powered options, although the hydrogen initiative hasn't been as successful as hoped.  One area where Toyota knows it's deficient is purely electric vehicles. Company executives seem to be acknowledging this white space more and more, as they did to InsideEVs at CES just last week. Toyota may have the R&D, capital and infrastructure to make many different kinds of cars without committing to one single solution, but it doesn't want to lose sales. And it is in China right now. But there are other places where the EV revolution is also in force. One of them is Norway, where the new car market is basically 90% electric. Granted, that's only a few hundred thousand cars—Americans bought probably 15 million last year, for context—but no car company wants to lose anywhere. So this interview of Toyota Norway CEO Piotr Pawlak with the country's Motor publication is very telling. Some excerpts, with help from Google Translate:  This involves multiple components. The Norwegian department will not only provide education to other markets but will also strive to promote the sale of electric cars in Norway to the fullest extent.  As the electric vehicle market in Norway is projected to surpass 90 percent by 2025, it plays a crucial role in the overall European electric car landscape. Additionally, the expansion of electric cars in Norway is likely to be more robust than that of the bZ4X model. Norway has fully committed to electric vehicles, leaving behind any interest in hybrid sales within the country. These hybrids can be marketed in other regions where they are profitable. Consequently, Pawlak is keen on focusing exclusively on electric car sales. By 2025, it's expected that at least 80 percent of the Toyotas sold in Norway will be electric models.  [...] We have learned from the bZ4X crisis, he says, guaranteeing that the upcoming models will have battery preheating, a good route planner and generally electric car technology that is expected in today's market. The latest car models will be designed for optimal charging in Norway and will come equipped with four-wheel drive capabilities. The "bZ4X crisis" refers to the same criticisms U.S. and European EV shoppers have of Toyota's primary electric offering: its range, price, charging and software specs are already uncompetitive and getting outclassed by new entries all of the time. In the case of chilly Norway, a good EV needs proper four- or all-wheel-drive, cold weather resilience, battery preconditioning and route-planning. The bZ4X doesn't measure up on most of that.  But I bring this up Pawlak's comments do matter to the rest of the world: if what the CEO says is true, then Toyota's clearly working on this stuff. It has high hopes for the new Urban Crusier compact electric (pictured above) and has several new EV models planned globally for 2026 and beyond. Some of those EVs will assuredly be Europe-specific and it will likely continue leaning on local partners in China, but more and more, the message is clear: Even if Toyota doesn't envision an all-electric future as other carmakers do, it can't let EVs be some afterthought anymore. And in the U.S., people certainly want good electric options from this trusted brand.  60%: Tesla Surpasses Audi Worldwide For The First Time View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Image credit: InsideEVs Speaking of things that aren't working, the Volkswagen Group is keenly aware that Audi is pretty far from the power-hitter that it was in the 2000s and 2010s. Global Audi sales were down a whole 14% in 2024 and the declines hit the entire lineup. It's an older lineup, too, and perhaps speaking subjectively, the new crop of Audis just don't look as cool as the white-hot Audis did 20 years ago. And amid all of the VW Group's wider technology challenges, their software and automated driving features lag behind many competitors.   So who pulled ahead of Audi last year? None other than Tesla, Bloomberg reports: Tesla overtook Audi, one of Germany’s most prized premium car brands, last year despite selling fewer vehicles than expected. Audi sold 1.67 million vehicles in 2024, down 12 percent from a year earlier. Audi’s struggle with intensifying competition in Europe and China and weak demand for its electric models dropped the brand behind Elon Musk’s Tesla, which delivered 1.79 million vehicles last year. Tesla's swift growth over the past few years has placed the company in a prime position to capitalize on any missteps made by established competitors. The Model Y SUV is now one of the top-selling vehicles globally and is set to receive an update this year. German automotive manufacturers are facing lukewarm demand for luxury vehicles in China, where the path to recovery is still unclear and domestic competitors are increasingly targeting the high-end market. I'd also argue that Tesla has an "aging lineup" problem of its own, with the Cybertruck not really moving the needle much last year. But the new Model Y is on its way. I'd be shocked if that doesn't sell well on its own.  So can Audi catch up? It's about to launch its biggest new product offensive ever, ranging from the new Q6 E-Tron to the A6 E-Tron sedan and gas-powered A7 and Q3. (Remember, at Audi, even numbers are electric and odd ones are gas and hybrid cars.) But the fact that Audi offers many different kinds of powertrains and still got smoked by an all-electric automaker shows it has work to do. Hyundai Seeks Trump's Favor as Well View pictures in App save up to 80% data. Image credit: InsideEVs 2025款现代Ioniq 5 XRT Many individuals who oppose Trump have voiced their concerns regarding the significant contributions made by various companies—such as Ford, General Motors, and Toyota—to his inaugural fund. Critics argue that these corporations are attempting to forge business ties with a president known for prioritizing transactional relationships. For those who are not supporters of Trump, the notion of their hard-earned money from purchased products benefiting him is likely unappealing. Regardless of how you feel, you can add Hyundai to that list, the Wall Street Journal reports. It's making a $1 million donation to Trump's inaugural fund. And part of that goal seems to be a sit-down with the president to try and talk him out of his anti-Mexico tariffs, which would be extremely disruptive to the automotive supply chain:  Hyundai has notably initiated a proactive strategy to establish connections with advisers of Trump. The automaker has communicated to the president-elect's team that it aims to contribute to job creation in the U.S. and to support the American automotive sector. Should the company secure a meeting with Trump, whether at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida or at the White House after he assumes office, there are plans to send Hyundai CEO José Muñoz along with Hyundai Motor Group executive chair Euisun Chung to attend, according to sources familiar with the situation. Executives from Hyundai, such as Muñoz and Hyundai Motor Group Vice Chair Jaehoon Chang, are likely to be present at the inauguration festivities, sources indicate. A contribution of $1 million grants access to six tickets for a private candlelight dinner with Donald Trump and Melania Trump on January 19, the day prior to his presidential swearing-in, as outlined in a benefits package obtained by The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, this donation includes six tickets to a private reception on January 18, featuring Trump's selected cabinet members, along with access to other exclusive gatherings.  Trade analysts have indicated that Hyundai is likely to face significant challenges due to tariffs, as a substantial portion of the components utilized in its vehicles are sourced from overseas. “They will experience a direct impact on sales in the United States, and even vehicles produced domestically will suffer because of their reliance on imported parts,” remarked Scott Lincicome, a vice president at the Cato Institute, which focuses on research related to international trade. The U.S. is by far Hyundai's biggest and most important market, and it remains heavily dependent on Mexico for production and the overall supply chain. (Nobody at Hyundai will talk about this openly, but this is probably why the Kia EV3 is taking so long to get to the U.S.; they may not be sure yet where and how they can build it, and what impact tariffs would have on those plans.)  Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz said it congratulates the incoming president, but does not have plans to donate to his inaugural fund. Do with that information as you will. 100%: What Strategies Will Audi Use to Regain Its Competitive Edge? View pictures in App save up to 80% data. View pictures in App save up to 80% data. A strong design approach would be an excellent beginning. I prefer something akin to the car on the right rather than the one on the left, Audi. The sleek and aerodynamic design that originally established Audi's reputation could be perfectly suited for the electric age. What suggestions do you have for Audi? Share your thoughts in the comments! Got a tip for us? Email: [email protected]

Plans for waterfront hotel and leisure scheme in Porthcawl move forward

Plans for a new waterfront hotel and leisure facility in Porthcawl have taken a step forward with land earmarked for the project put on the market by Bridgend Council. The site is situated at the southern end of the Salt Lake near to the Porthcawl Marina, the Grand Pavilion and Cosy Corner, and could eventually see the delivery of a new luxury hotel and leisure facility for the town. The 2.1 acre plot of land off Eastern Promenade is currently set aside for development under the Porthcawl Placemaking Strategy which aims to develop the area for both residents and tourists as an attractive place to live, work, and visit. It is part of a wider scheme of regeneration planned for the area in the coming years, which includes proposals for around 900 new homes, a school, a multi-storey car park, as well as a 200m-long seafront park that runs the length of Salt Lake, along with the closure of the town's Coney Beach Pleasure Park. Click here to sign up to our BusniessLive Wales newsletter An advert for the site from property advisory firm EJ Hales says: "The allocated hotel / leisure development site, which we have been instructed to market by Bridgend County Borough Council, has been earmarked within the Porthcawl Placemaking Strategy as providing an opportunity to deliver a high-quality hotel and is situated at the southern end of the Salt Lake ownership with views over the nearby beach. "It is close to completed and current regeneration projects including The Jennings, Cosy Corner, Porthcawl Marina and The Grand Pavilion. The allocated site comprises 2.1 acres / 0.8 hectares and the council’s intention is to dispose of the site by way of a long leasehold interest, the details of which will be subject to specific negotiations." They also added that if the hotel was delivered as a priority by a developer, a mixed use scheme including residential properties could also be considered by the authority moving forward.

Ibstock slashes dividends as profit tumbles amid 'subdued market conditions'

Ibstock, the London-listed brickmaker, has cut its annual dividend payout following a drop in profit and revenue due to "subdued market conditions." The company reported a nearly one-third decrease in pre-tax profit to £21m for the year ending 31 December. Ibstock attributed this figure to a "lower trading performance" and the impact of a one-off £12m charge, as reported by City AM. Revenue fell by 10% to £366m as sales slowed. The group cited a "subdued" market environment for its performance and reduced total dividends by almost half, to 4p per share. Earnings per share also declined year-on-year by 30%, to 3.8p. Despite these challenges, Ibstock noted a gradual improvement in sales during the second half of 2024 and maintained a positive outlook for 2025. "We expect an improvement in market volumes in 2025, with momentum building through the year," said Chief Executive Joe Hudson. "Ibstock is well-positioned for a market recovery, and the fundamental drivers of demand in our markets remain firmly in place." He added: "We see a significant opportunity for a new era in housebuilding in the UK and with the investments we have made and our market leadership positions, the group remains well placed to support and benefit from this over the medium term." "Shares have fallen around 14% so far this year, and the firm will also have to contend with a 21% year-on-year increase in its debt pile, which currently stands at £122m." Hudson described the 2024 performance as "resilient."