01.12.2003

Forth Ports PLC to provide a terminal facility to Stora Enso in the UK

Forth Ports PLC and Stora Enso announce today that they have entered into a new long-term agreement which proposes the provision of a newpaper terminal facility at the Port of Tilbury. The fifteen-year agreement will enable Stora Enso to use the Port of Tilbury as its southern entry port in the United Kingdom handling newsprint and paper from Sweden and Finland.

Forth Ports PLC will build the facility encompassing a general purpose warehouse of 23,500 square metres, an automated warehouse of over 10,000 square metres, a rail cross dock facility comprising a warehouse of over 4,500 square metres, together with associated storage and marshalling areas and the future provision of a wastepaper transfer facility of 3,000 square metres. Forth Ports PLC expects the cost of this facility to be around GBP 31 million (EUR 44million). It is anticipated that the facility will open in July 2005 and will result in the creation of additional jobs at the Port of Tilbury.

Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive of Forth Ports PLC, said that “this is yet another good example of the Group’s ability to provide new facilities for a major customer”. Lars-Gunnar Almryd, Senior Vice President of Stora Enso Transport and Distribution, said that “this is an integral part of the pursuit of continuous improvements in supply chain and customer service followed by Stora Enso”.

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