FPT Forth Ports

RNS Number:3280K
Forth Ports PLC
20 December 2007


                                 FORTH PORTS PLC
                             YEAR END TRADING UPDATE
                                                              20th December 2007


Forth Ports PLC issues its year end trading update for the year ending 31st
December 2007. The Group's preliminary results announcement is expected to be
made on 17th March 2008.

The Group continues to pursue its strategy of growth in earnings from ports,
maximising asset value in property and delivering real levels of dividend growth
to shareholders. The overall Group result will be in line with our expectations
for the full year.


Ports

Trading within the Ports' Division will show a significant improvement in the
second half of 2007 over the first half giving rise to strong underlying growth
for the full year.

At Tilbury, short-sea container volumes are expected to increase year-on-year by
over 5%. The ro-ro unit volumes are up by 36% over the equivalent traffic last
year and have benefited from the introduction of a second ship call each day
during the last quarter of the year. Grain volumes have increased 10% overall
with imports being up by 34%. Momentum continues to gather in response to the
growing demand for the supply of materials to the Olympics site. Port of
Tilbury, in conjunction with its partners, has submitted a prequalification
tender seeking to designate Tilbury as a multi-modal distribution site for the
Olympics. In addition, Tilbury is host to a new "green" transport venture with
the introduction of a new barge terminal which is now being used for importing,
handling and despatching cargoes to the Olympic construction site at Stratford.

We have recently exchanged contracts to acquire 65 acres of land at Tilbury
close to the port for future expansion.

The integration of the Nordic Group is progressing well and trading in the
second half of this year is in line with expectations at the time of
acquisition.

At Tilbury Container Services ("TCS"), the growth in container volumes should be
in excess of 6%. Several new customers have been won (including the EPIC 2
service between Europe, Pakistan and India) which will benefit TCS in the last
quarter of this year and more significantly in 2008.

The Scottish Ports have seen a recovery in container volumes which have been
much higher in the second half of the year. Coal volumes at Leith continue to be
ahead of last year. Piped cargo volumes through Hound Point have benefited as
expected from strong tonnages from the Buzzard Field.


Property

The Property Team has been active in its discussions with City of Edinburgh
Council on the Leith Docks Outline Planning Application ("OPA") submitted in
September and has substantially achieved all of the milestones which were set
for this year. Our masterplanners, RTKL, have refined their work on the Hub and
are now close to finalising the masterplan to enable a formal submission as an
OPA in the first half of 2008.

We have recently concluded the sale of a second affordable housing site at
Western Harbour. Such sales generate no profit but contribute cash towards the
infrastructure costs associated with the site.

The last remaining unit within the refurbished listed building at Newhaven has
now been let and should be open for business early next year.


Outlook

Based on the levels of business activity and indications of interest for new
business across the Group, the Board remains confident of further progress in
2008.


Enquiries:


Forth Ports PLC

Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive - Tel: 0131 555 8700

Wilson Murray, Group Finance Director - Tel: 0131 555 8700


Brunswick

Jon Coles - Tel: 0207 404 5959


Notes to Editors:

Forth Ports PLC owns and operates seven commercial ports in the UK - Tilbury on
the Thames, Dundee in the Firth of Tay and five in the Firth of Forth - Leith,
Grangemouth, Rosyth, Methil and Burntisland. We also operate out of Chatham in
Kent under the Nordic banner.

Within and around the Firths of Forth and Tay, Forth Ports manages and operates
an area of 280 square miles of navigable waters, including two specialised
marine terminals for oil and gas export and provides other marine services, such
as towage and conservancy.

The Group also has significant property interests which it continues to develop
as part of its commitment to increase shareholder value.



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

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