Flashback to 2016 - DI Andy Horton celebrates Portsmouth International Port's 40th anniversary

DI Andy Horton was called to assist Portsmouth International Port kick start their 40th anniversary celebrations on 3 June 2016 with the launch of an exhibition showing the development of the Port over the years.  OK, so it wasn't actually Andy Horton who showed up in person but me and I took him along for good company in the form of  Fatal Catch, number twelve in the series of fifteen. The reason why I am re-blogging this is because this year, 2021, the Port would have been enjoying the celebrations for its 45th anniversary but in the wake of Coronavirus this has beenn made impossible as all social gatherings above a certain number of people are still banned (hopefully to be lifted in England on 21 June 2021 - but watch this space.)   The Port are hoping to have a BIG celebration on their 50th anniversary in June 2026!


Pauline Rowson at the 40th anniversary exhibition opening Portsmouth International Port

The Portsmouth  International Port, features in my DI Andy Horton crime novels, because it is where Andy often boards the police marine launch piloted by Sergeant Elkins and PC Ripley to cross the Solent to the Isle of Wight or to travel around Portsmouth Harbour or to the outlying harbours of Langstone and Chichester.  In the Horton novels you will find that the Port is often referred to as either the Continental Ferry Port or the Commercial Port, this is what us Portsmouth locals have called it for years but it has recently undergone re-branding to become the Portsmouth International Port to reflect its burgeoning market.

The International Port, owned and operated by Portsmouth City Council has grown extensively since its formation in 1976 when initially it offered  just one route to France from a small section of reclaimed harbour front. Now it is known as Britain’s Best Connected Port with more destinations than any  other UK Port. The  Port is also a key destination for fresh fruit and vegetables from all over the  world.

Four decades since the first ferries departed from France the Portsmouth International Port has seen 90 million passengers, 25.5 million passenger vehicles ad 8.5 million units of freight come and go to Europe on 135,000 ferry crossings.


Pauline Rowson centre with Julie Blackwell Purple Agency, and Martin Putnam, Manager, Portsmouth International Port


I also took along Andy Horton in the seventh in the series, A Killing Coast. A display in the terminal building showed the development of the Port over the years and contained some wonderful items from the 1970s along with a Mini from the era and fashions. 

The Port is also featured in DI Andy Horton, LETHAL WAVES, when a smartly dressed, affluent woman is found dead in her cabin on the Commodore Condor ferry from Portsmouth to Guernsey.

 

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