Construction on a £300m fourth berth at the London Gateway logistics hub will commence next month, as owner DP World attempts to increase supply chain resilience and boost capacity.
The investment will enable the port to handle the world’s largest vessels and comes after record throughput of 888,000 in the first six months of 2021 - a 23% on the previous best performance.
DP World said the fourth berth will raise capacity by a third and completion will coincide with the delivery of a new wave of 24,000 TEU vessels in 2023/24.
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Along with the Port of Tilbury and Ford’s Dagenham plant, DP World London Gateway will form Thames Freeport after being awarded freeport status by the government earlier this year.
Officially launching the Thames Freeport, chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak said: “Our new freeports will create national hubs of trade, innovation and commerce and attract more investment to regenerate communities and level up the UK.
“Bringing ports and business together to invest in their regions is crucial to the freeports’ success story – that’s why I’m thrilled that DP World is investing £300 million to support Thames Freeport – creating new opportunities, boosting growth and supporting local jobs.”