There are few better places to meet John Meredith, Hutchison Ports’ chief executive, than the wind-battered eastern English port of Felixstowe. The port was the first investment by the company, part of Hutchison Whampoa, outside Hong Kong.

The purchase, in 1991, started the group on the path towards becoming the first – and still the largest – global operator of ports for handling shipping containers. Mr Meredith admits to retaining a particular soft spot for the facility.