DP World plans £1bn expansion of London Gateway

DP World has announced a £1 billion expansion of London Gateway to make it Britain’s largest container port within five years in a boost to the volume and resilience of international trade.

DP World will increase capacity of London Gateway’s port by building two new shipping berths, taking the total to six berths able to receive the world’s largest container ships. The site will also see a second rail terminal added to handle the expected increase in containerised trade, says an official release.

"By the end of the decade, the full quayside stretching more than 2.5 km in length will be able to simultaneously receive six vessels, each more than 400 metres long, and boast Europe’s tallest quay cranes at the height of the Big Ben.

"The expansion will create a further 400 permanent new jobs, in addition to the 1,200 currently employed at the site, and 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 expansion will take the total invested by DP World at London Gateway to more than £3 billion, converting the site of a former oil refinery into one of U.K.’s largest and most important logistics hubs, the release added. The site has recently seen the addition of a £350 million fourth berth, the first to be powered entirely by electricity, and which will soon accept its first ship.

“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," says Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, DP World. "I am proud of this major investment which underlines DP World’s long-term commitment to the UK.”

Ernst Schulze, Chief Executive Officer, Ports & Terminals, DP World UK adds: “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.”

The expansion is expected to increase the volume of trade at the port, which currently handles approximately nearly two million TEU annually, the release added.