It offers a safe, sheltered and deep harbour for all vessels, from small yachts to some of the largest cruise ships in the world. Located near the English Channel shipping lanes, Portland is an important port for cargo ships, cruise ships and maintains a strong relationship with the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Alongside the commercial operations is a range of leisure activities such as fishing, diving and kite surfing. Portland Port is also a hub for marine technology research.
Portland Port’s location, scale and facilities make it a key economic hub. The port and its tenants are now a major employer within the local economy which are further supported by Portland Port’s charitable activities.
Since its acquisition in 1996, Langham Industries have embarked on an extensive development plan and continues to invest in the port’s potential.
Portland Port is an important location for commercial and defence vessels, with little draft restriction, a full range of facilities and in close proximity to the English Channel shipping lanes.
The harbour is well protected from the south and southwesterly winds, as it shelters behind the Isle of Portland and Chesil Beach, and is circled by an extensive breakwater system that protects it from adverse easterly weather conditions.
The Port can currently accommodate vessels up to 350m in length, and has water depths alongside of 11.6m above Chart Datum. There are nearly 200 hectares of dock estate and a marine jurisdiction stretching over 2400 hectares, providing 2km of alongside berths.
Portland Port is home to many other commercial enterprises including Global Marine Services Limited, the world's largest independent provider of marine cable installation and maintenance, Viterra UK, one of the UK's largest grain and animal feed merchants and Dragon Alpha Cement.
The port also offers a full range of ship services including bunkering, marine engineering and hull cleaning.
Portland Harbour Authority Ltd is an associate company of Portland Port and is responsible for the upkeep and safe management of the harbour. Portland Harbour is home to a number of yacht and sailing clubs and associations, including the National Sailing Academy, Royal Navy Sailing Association and Castle Cove Yacht Club.
For water sports enthusiasts, Portland Harbour has some of the best wind statistics on the south coast of England. It is the site for one of the longest-running annual windsurfing competitions, Weymouth Speed Week and hosted the sailing classes of the 2012 Olympic Games
