Openfield is to upgrade its grain handling facilities at Ridham Sea Terminal in Kent, to speed up loading times and ease congestion in the area.

The investment, which should be in place for this harvest, includes a new weighbridge, automated sampling equipment and a dedicated grain lab. Crane and elevator systems are also to be improved.

“Ridham is the only port in Kent dedicated to grain exports open for 12 months of the year and we’ll be looking to maximise its use providing local growers with access to world markets,” Openfield shipping manager Darren Knowles said.

The company exports 70-90,000t through Ridham every year, mostly of uks and ukp wheat for Spanish and Portuguese millers.

Openfield also announced last week that it had hit the one million tonne export figure for the year, across all commodities through ports around the UK.