Press Release

6 May 2021

Mitie gets on-board with new Associated British Ports security contract

  • Mitie has won a three-year contract to deliver security services for Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading ports group
  • The contract will see Mitie deliver security services, including staffed guarding and passenger searches and screening, for all of ABP’s 21 ports in England, Scotland and Wales

Mitie has won a new three-year contract to deliver security services for Associated British Ports (ABP), the UK’s leading ports group. The contract has the option to extend for a further two years and will see Mitie provide services for ABP’s 21 ports across England, Scotland and Wales.

The contract will see Mitie deliver staffed guarding services, including site patrols and access control, for restricted areas across all of ABP’s sites. With 88 million tonnes of cargo, around 25% of all UK seaborne trade, handled in ABP’s ports every year, these services are key to support the smooth operation of businesses’ supply chains.

Mitie will conduct passenger searches and screening, including body scanning services, for ABP’s passenger operations in Southampton, Plymouth and other ports across the UK. ABP’s port in Southampton is Europe’s number one cruise turnaround port. As it prepares to welcome ships to its new Horizon Cruise Terminal and as cruise services resume in the summer, security will be key for ensuring the safety of millions of port employees and cruise passengers who typically pass through the port every year.

Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services, Mitie, said:

“We are delighted to have been chosen by Associated British Ports to deliver key security services across its sites. We look forward to working closely with Associated British Ports and using our transport expertise to deliver a solution that helps keep passengers and Associated British Ports’ colleagues and operations safe, to keep the UK’s maritime sector moving.”

Mike McCartain, Director for Safety, Engineering and Marine, Associated British Ports, said:

“Security plays a vital role in our ports, and this contract creates new opportunities to improve security further. It enhances our recent investment in hardware and surveillance, making our ports and operations more secure, and protecting our infrastructure and members of the public. We greatly look forward to partnering with Mitie.”


Notes to editors

About Mitie

Founded in 1987, Mitie’s job is to look after places where Britain works and is the leading facilities management company in the UK. We offer a range of services to Central Government and Defence customers; Communities (Healthcare, Education and Local Authorities); and Technical Services(Engineering Services, Energy, Water and Real Estate Services) and Business Services (Security, Cleaning and Office Services) to Private Sector clients in Financial Services, Manufacturing, Transport, Retail and Telecoms and increasingly to the public sector. Finally, our Specialist Services (Care & Custody, Landscapes and Waste Management) division serves both the public and private sector in these niche businesses. 

Mitie acquired Interserve’s FM business in December 2020 and now employs 77,500 people. We are the champion of the ‘Front-Line Heroes’ who have kept Britain working during the COVID-19 pandemic. We take care of our customers’ people and buildings, through the ‘Science of Service’, delivering essential services and deploying industry leading technology to create safe and effective workspaces. 

The business continues to execute its technology-led strategy and in the past six months has received multiple awards.

Find out more at www.mitie.com.

About Associated British Ports (ABP):

ABP is the UK’s leading ports group with 21 ports and other transport related businesses creating a unique national network capable of handling a vast array of cargo.

The company contributes £7.5 billion to the UK economy every year and supports 119,000 jobs. Our current investment programme promises to further increase our contribution to regional economies around the UK.

ABP:

  • Handles over 1.5 million vehicles every year
  • Generates around one quarter of the UK’s rail freight
  • Has 1.4 million square metres of covered storage
  • Has 1,000 hectares of open storage
  • Handles around 90 million tonnes of cargo each year
  • Owns 5,000 hectares of port estate
  • Has 87km of quay

Our five-year investment programme across the group is worth £1 billion. Our investment is designed to respond to the needs of our customers whose business relies on our ports for access to international and, in some cases, domestic markets.

www.abports.co.uk