Resource #V107261

Précis

Students will investigate (using both secondary sources and primary fieldwork) current container facilities at the port, including the new SCT5, and the projected need for container capacity expansion and the proposed port development site at Dibden Bay.

Contextual Summary

This is a geography resource which engages students with the environment of Southampton Water and The Solent, whilst on their Red Funnel ferry journey across to and/or from the Isle of Wight. It includes pre-visit, on-site, and post-visit activities. This resource focuses mainly on the human geography of the area, specifically focusing on containerisation. As they go through the activities, students will investigate (using both secondary sources and primary fieldwork) current container facilities at the port, including the new SCT5, and the projected need for container capacity expansion and the proposed port development site at Dibden Bay.

Curriculum Relevance

Geography → Human and Physical Geography → Coasts

Implementation

The pre-visit activity starts by introducing the idea of containerisation to students, and they are prompted (using an image as a stimulus) to consider what they think the term means. A little historical background to the development and growth of containerisation then puts the current situation into context, and this can be read and discussed with students. A graph shows students the growth in container demand, and they should use this to describe the growth in containerisation around the world. More able students should be encouraged to also complete the extension activity here (on the higher ability worksheet), which prompts them to consider the reasons behind this growth and link their ideas to globalization. A key word box, with explanations has been provided to assist them. In addition, the pre-visit activities also look at SCT5; the new (as from March 2014!) container facility at Southampton Port. At a cost of £100 million, the new facility can accommodate the largest (18,000 TEU) vessels on the water. On board the ferry, students will immediately be able to see the port facilities around the Red Funnel terminal. Up river is the vast container port, including SCT5, and they will be able to see this in the distance. They may also see container ships docked there, or going to/from the docks. One of the activities asks them to take photographs of what they see and to locate on a map of the docks provided where they have taken each photo. They may also wish to take photos of other port facilities, such as the RoRo (Roll-on, Roll-off) vehicle docks as they pass. The remainder of the on-site activities focus on Dibden Bay, and students are given a short paragraph to read which details the background to the proposed development and the public enquiry that took place, eventually rejecting it. Through two activities, students will examine both sides of the argument. Firstly, as they pass the proposed development site, they will have the opportunity to observe what the area is like and to take some pictures. They are encouraged to complete a table which indicates the key arguments against the proposed development. They should be encouraged to think about all aspects of the development, not simply the likely environmental impacts, e.g. what are the likely impacts on local residents? (both during construction and when the site is operational) What are the potential safety issues with higher volumes of shipping traffic (and larger vessels) on Southampton Water...? Four different sources of information have been provided to illustrate the argument ?for? the development: A (fabricated, but realistic!) quote from ABP and a local resident, a table showing projected container capacity demand in the future and a pie chart showing the relative importance of containers as a portion of overall traffic. Using all of these figures of information, students are required to outline and explain the main arguments for the development of Dibden Bay All of their work then feeds into the post-visit activity, where they will conduct a class debate on Dibden Bay. This activity is deliberately ?open? to allow teachers to manage it as they wish, according to time-constraints, pupil numbers and abilities. A range of websites have been provided to allow students to research further, but the list is by no means exhaustive and students should be encouraged to conduct independent research in addition to this. This is an interesting and stimulating topic, and should promote students to consider the difficulties and challenges of managing a stretch of coastline for both socio-economic and environmental benefits ? how can we balance the two, or is it impossible to achieve a balance?

Key Skills Practised

• Understanding key processes in human geography (economic activities, trade)
• Conducting fieldwork by making observations and applying their observations to specific tasks
• Carrying out independent research
• The ability to empathise with different views and opinions on a subject.

Learning Opportunities

Pre-Visit

Students will learn what containerisation is, and a brief history of containerisation. ? They will learn about SCT5; the new container facility at Southampton Docks.

On Site

Students will see the container facilities at the docks, and be able to take photos. ? They will also examine the proposed port expansion site at Dibden Bay and will start to consider the pros and cons of developing this site.

Post-Visit

Students conduct their own further research into Dibden Bay proposal, and conduct a debate.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to define what containerisation is, and will be able to describe the history and growth of world-wide containerisation. Students will know what current container facilities at Southampton Port are like, including the new SCT5. Students will know where the proposed port expansion land is located and what it is like. Students will be able to give the key advantages and disadvantages to the proposed Dibden Bay development. Students will conduct independent research to find out more about the Dibden Bay proposed port expansion and will conduct a debate.