The move will treble the port’s freight capacity to 600,000 units per year by 2020
By
Elizabeth Robinson |
P&O Ferries has reached an agreement with Forth Ports to move to a purpose-built £150 million river berth at the Port of Tilbury in London, UK, which will treble its freight capacity to 600,000 units a year by 2020.
The integrated ferry and logistics company expects the new capacity at Tilbury to improve its service for any company exporting goods to or from London and the South East of England.
Tilbury2 intends to build a new terminal on a 152-acre site which was part of the former Tilbury Power Station and will include a new deep-water jetty in the river Thames.
“I am looking forward to working closely with the team at Forth Ports to relocate our operation on the Thames to a state-of-the-art new terminal and river berth,” said Janette Bell, chief executive of P&O Ferries. “Together with our market leading services across the English Channel, this new facility will enable P&O Ferries to offer customers exporting to or from London and the South East genuine alternatives, whether they choose to move their loads in self-drive vehicles or as unaccompanied freight.”
Bell added: “The river berth will enable us to cut our crossing time by one hour to seven hours, meaning that our customers will be discharged an hour earlier at 5am, enabling them to bypass the morning rush hour on the M25. The punctuality and reliability of the quay to quay service will be further enhanced by no longer having to negotiate a lock to exit the port.”
The layout of the new terminal will enable customers to locate their unit promptly as part of a 30-minute gate to gate turnaround.
“As we prepare for the examination of our development consent order for Tilbury2, this new long-term partnership with P&O Ferries provides a strong economic and market underpinning of our intended development plans to grow UK trade and create further employment opportunities within Tilbury,” said Charles Hammond, group chief executive of Forth Ports.