DP World announces £1 billion London Gateway expansion

The measure aims to increase the volume and resilience of international trade (Photo: DP World)

DP World has announced a £1 billion expansion of London Gateway to make it Britain’s biggest container port within five years.

The global logistics giant will increase the capacity of the London Gateway port with the construction of two new shipping berths, bringing the total to six berths capable of handling the world’s largest container ships.

The site will also see a second rail terminal added to handle the expected increase in containerized trade.

By the end of the decade, the entire pier, more than 2.5 km long, will be able to simultaneously accommodate six ships, each over 400 meters long, and boast the tallest quay cranes in Europe, at sea height. Big Ben.

The expansion will create an additional 400 new permanent jobs, in addition to the 1,200 currently employed at the site.

This will take DP World’s total investment in London Gateway to more than £3 billion, converting the site of a former oil refinery into one of the UK’s largest and most important logistics hubs.

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 has established Europe’s largest logistics park, employing 1,500 workers, as a counterweight to the UK’s “golden triangle” of logistics, based in the Midlands.

The park’s tenants benefit from warehousing, warehousing and distribution services linked to rail freight and road links, and quick access to the important consumer market of London and the South East.

Fast-track planning consent allows businesses to build new facilities in response to demand.

Ernst Schulze, CEO of Ports and Terminals at DP World UK, said: “As this commitment demonstrates, London Gateway’s location and transport infrastructure is ideally positioned for expansion.

“With extra capacity comes supply chain reliability and resilience, which are so important to our customers and consumers, especially in uncertain times such as the pandemic and disruptions due to geopolitical events.”

Subject to planning approval and regulatory requirements, the expansion is expected to significantly increase trade volume at the port, which currently handles around 2 million TEU annually.

DP World plays an increasing role in the UK economy, employing 5,500 workers across a broad portfolio of logistics services.