Food and Health & Safety Service Plan 2024-25 - Flipbook - Page 8
BACKGROUND
Food and Health & Safety
East Sufolk9s historical agricultural and oshing heritage provides a welcome backdrop
for many national and international food and drink companies based here. This sector
is an important employer in rural areas and includes seasonal and migrant workers.
Specialisms include the production and processing of pork, poultry, wines, beer, spirits,
chocolate, sauces, yeast, ice cream, smoked osh, shellosh and dairy products. East
Sufolk9s leisure and visitor economy supports many hospitality, catering and retail food
businesses.
Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority
Primarily based at the Port of Felixstowe, Sufolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA)
upholds the protection of public and animal health at the heart of trade and
commerce.
The Port of Felixstowe is located close to the main shipping lanes and major ports of
Northwest Europe. This contributes to more than four million twenty-foot-equivalent
units (TEUs), 2,000 ships and 40% of Britain9s trade passing through the port every
year. As well as being the UK9s largest container port, Felixstowe is a key gateway
for roll-on/roll-of (ro-ro) trade with Europe, with up to three daily sailings to the
Netherlands.
SCPHA also provides port health
functions for Tendring District Council
and Ipswich Borough Council through
Harwich International Port and the Port
of Ipswich, respectively. Harwich is a
major ro-ro port handling more than
250,000 commercial vehicle movements
per year. With up to four sailings per day
from the Netherlands, the importance
of the North Sea trading route to Europe
is second only to trade crossing the English Channel. In 2024, SCPHA expects to
increase the frequency and degree of health checks performed at Harwich following
discussions with Hutchison Ports and Tendring District Council and BTOM release.
Although mainly handling aggregate,
grain and forestry products, the Port
of Ipswich also receives public health
services from SCPHA for the protection
of seafarers. This includes the testing
of potable water sources.
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East Suffolk Food and Health & Safety Service Plan 2023/24
