Mitie has won a new contract with the Port of Dover covering maintenance work and installations on the Eastern and Western docks at the port, ranging from cruise terminals to residential flats and commercial offices on the seafront marina.
The contract, which is valued at £3 million per annum, will run for an initial four years and comes with the option to extend for a further two years.
Services provided by Mitie will cover 94 buildings, which are visited by 11 million passengers a year, whilst the port also helps to close the bridge between the UK and the rest of the world, handling £144 billion of trade per year.
With an aim to create an increasingly technology-enabled port, digital maintenance and remote monitoring will be introduced, enabled by an innovation fund. The innovation fund will also provide investment into the Port of Dover’s net zero strategy and Mitie’s Plan Zero consultants have already undertaken a series of site visits to identify opportunities and build on the action already taken by the Port of Dover. For example, whilst investment in solar has already taken place, Mitie’s capability to design battery storage solutions could minimise the amount of energy being lost.
To support with the transition to the new contract, Mitie has developed a bespoke engineering plan led by an experienced Critical Environment and Technical Assurance (CETA) team to ensure the port remains fully functional and is a seamless location for staff and visitors each day.
The contract award builds on Mitie’s existing three year, waste management contract at the Port of Dover, which was awarded in 2023.
Dan Guest, Managing Director, Technical Services, Mitie, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Port of Dover and playing our part in the modernisation of this critical piece of the UK’s infrastructure which has acted as a gateway for people and trade for 400 years.
“Our colleagues on the contract will range from engineers to ESG experts who will work together to build a smarter, more sustainable port without losing the character that makes it a key destination for both business and leisure, against the famous backdrop of the White Cliffs.”
Antony Yates, Infrastructure and Engineering Director at the Port of Dover said: “It was important for the supplier to be aligned to our core values and sustainability targets and can offer agile solutions in our fast-changing continuous operational environment.
“Mitie brings a wealth of expertise in energy management and operational excellence with extensive knowledge in the transportation sector and are well placed to assist us in critical engineering projects and the significant energy challenges ahead.”
Frontline workers form the backbone of facilities management services, serving as the face of the brand and interacting directly with customers. Yet research by both L&G and the Living Wage Foundation reveals the majority feel overlooked and expendable.
Accelerating the problem is a growing technology gap. Despite having 2.7 billion deskless workers worldwide, representing 80 per cent of the global workforce, only one per cent of software and technology investments has been allocated to this segment. This means there is a huge disconnect between frontline workers and their headquarters, leading to lack of sufficient training, communication challenges and low employee retention.
For this webinar, FMJ has teamed up with frontline training platform Lingio to bring together a panel of experts, to discuss how easy-to-use and efficient AI tools can help create engaging and gamified learning experiences that fit the needs of underserved deskless workers. The result? Better software and learning experiences lead to improved staff engagement and reduced staff turnover by up to 95 per cent, according to McKinsey.
To register for the webinar taking place on 11 September at 11:00 am click here.