The logistics company says the container port expansion will significantly boost UK trade
Logistics giant DP World has revealed a £1bn expansion of London Gateway in Thurrock, Essex, that looks to make it Britain’s largest container port within five years.
The expansion will see two new shipping berths built, increasing the total to six, as well as a second rail terminal, and will create a further 400 permanent new jobs in addition to the 1,200 currently employed at the site.
The company says this will increase the site’s capacity and resilience for international trade.
According to DP World, it is the culmination of a rapid growth plan for the Thames Estuary hub which opened in 2013 and has been a catalyst for economic regeneration in south Essex.
The container port expansion will take the total invested by DP World at London Gateway to more than £3bn, converting the site of a former oil refinery into one of the UK’s largest and most important logistics hubs.
The site has most recently seen the addition of a £350mn fourth berth, the first to be powered entirely by electricity, and which will soon accept its first ship.
By the end of the decade, the full quayside stretching more than 2.5km in length will be able to simultaneously receive six vessels, each more than 400 metres long.
Subject to planning approval and regulatory requirements, the expansion is expected to significantly increase the volume of trade at the port which currently handles approximately nearly 2mn containers annually.
Group chairman and chief executive officer at DP World, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said: “DP World London Gateway will help make Britain’s trade flow in the future by connecting domestic exporters with global markets and delivering vital supply chain resilience for the whole economy.
“I am proud of this major investment which underlines DP World’s long-term commitment to the UK.”
Chief executive officer for ports and terminals at DP World UK, Ernst Schulze, said: “As this commitment demonstrates, London Gateway’s location and transport infrastructure are ideally placed for expansion.
“With extra capacity comes the reliability and supply chain resilience so important to our customers and consumers, especially in uncertain times such as the pandemic and disruption due to geopolitical events.”
