ABP plans to revamp many of its ports

The company - which operates 21 ports in the UK - also said it would spend �400m on developing its core UK ports.

However, the firm said that its failed attempt to build a container terminal on Southampton Water, which cost �44.9m, hit profits.

ABP reported a pre-tax profit of �20.1m for the six months to 30 June.

When the cost of the abandoned Southampton project and other one-off costs are stripped out, ABP's underlying profits were up 7% at �65.2m.

Turnover was up 6% at �182.2m, helped by a number of long-term contracts ABP has won in recent years, the company said.

New investment

The expansion of the port at Immingham comes after ABP secured agreements with BHP Billiton, Drax Power and EDF Energy to use the coal facility.

A lack of capacity at the site has led to hold-ups in unloading, raising ABP's costs.

After the development - for which ABP already has government approval - Immingham will be able to handle 7.5 million tonnes of coal a year.

As part of its �400m overhaul, ABP is also planning to build a new �27.5m roll-on/roll-off ferry terminal at Immingham.

ABP's plans to build a new �600m container terminal at Dibden Bay in Southampton were blocked in April this year by the government on environmental grounds.

ABP had argued that up to 10,000 new jobs would be created by the development, but environmentalists said the port would increase pollution and traffic in the area around Dibden Bay, hitting local wildlife.