Port operator ABP has invested £300,000 in the rail service for car exports. It is the first automotive service to operate in the port’s Western Dock and means ABP’s rail services for the industry will reach both the Eastern and Western docks. Alastair Welch, director at the Port of Southampton, said: “We are delighted to have welcomed this new automotive service to the Western Docks for BMW. “As the UK’s number one export port for vehicles, we look forward to continuing to expand Southampton’s automotive offer by rail even further in the future.” Southampton is the UK’s number one port for the automotive industry, handling around 900,000 vehicles a year.