PORT of Dover boss Bob Goldfield appears to be softening his attitudes towards the People's Port idea suggested by MP Charlie Elphicke.

Mr Goldfield said the People's Port scheme "meets virtually all of the objectives" in the Dover Harbour Board straight sell-off plans.

Mr Elphicke, whose proposal would allow Dover to retain ownership while leasing the facilities to an operator, said he found Mr Goldfield's remarks "interesting".

In an extensive interview with the shipping newspaper Lloyds List published on Monday, Mr Goldfield said: "We met with Charlie (last week), a long meeting where we explored the differences between our scheme and what he is proposing.

"Actually our scheme meets virtually all of the objectives that he is putting forward with his alternative.

"We did raise some concerns we have got with his alternative. How attractive would his scheme be to an investor looking to put £300 million into the port?

"We think there are grave disadvantages in going to the market with a scheme which has the restrictions he would propose in terms of leasehold/freehold. Having said that, I think there is a coming together and an understanding of our two positions and I think we can get to a position where we can meet Charlie's objectives of what he and the community would like to see from this privatisation."

He denied the difficult relationship with the ferry operators made the port "unsaleable".

Mr Goldfield said their dispute lay in proposed charges being too high.

Mr Goldfield told the newspaper: "All we are proposing are the 2010 charges, that they are already paying, and then an inflation rise in 2011. That is hardly abusive."

Ferry insiders say the DHB sell-off plans are "impossible" while 80 per cent of its customers are locked in a bitter dispute on pricing.

The ferry firms are all in a hugely competitive price war with each other but also with the Channel Tunnel.

One senior executive said: "You go through the Port of Dover tomorrow and it will seem like it is heaving but the tourist ticket isn't enough.

"We need large volumes of freight all year round and the freight has been falling away. There is just far too much capacity and something will have to give."