PLA welcomes Harbour Empowerment Order for London Gateway container port

Computer image of the proposed development (click on image to enlarge)

The Port of London Authority (PLA) has welcomed the news that the Department for Transport (DfT) has issued DP World with a 'Harbour Empowerment Order' for its London Gateway scheme on the north bank of the Thames in Essex.

PLA Chairman, Simon Sherrard, said:

"The development of this much needed container-handling capacity is good news for the country and London in particular.  The unique combination of the container port and logistics park side-by-side will be significantly more sustainable than the current approach of moving containers inland for unpacking.  We expect the proposition to be compelling enough to alter radically the UK's cargo handling map and underpin the long-term growth in cargo handled through London."

The PLA will have an active role in supporting the project as it develops, through its responsibilities for safety of navigation and aspects of environmental management.  It expects to handle a significant volume of work linked to the scheme in areas such as surveying, tidal works approvals, archaeology and salvage.

Contact: Martin Garside, Port of London Authority. Tel: 01474 562366 or email.

Notes to Editors:

• The Port of London Authority (PLA) is responsible for navigational safety and related matters on 150km (95 miles) of the tidal Thames from the sea to Teddington in west London
• The PLA provides navigational, pilotage and other services for users of the Thames
• London is one of the top three ports in the UK and currently handles over 50 million tonnes of cargo each year
• The Port comprises over 70 independently owned and operated terminals and port facilities at different locations on the Thames. These handle a wide range of cargoes.