Port of Tilbury requests consent order for second terminal

The London port has requested an official development consent order (DCO) to move forward with plans to build a second terminal, dubbed Tilbury2, by 2020.    London’s Port of Tilbury has submitted an application for a development consent order (DCO) to build a new terminal adjacent to the current port in Thurrock.
   The proposed new port, known as Tilbury2, will be built on a 152-acre site which was part of the former Tilbury Power Station, the port said in a statement.
   Tilbury2 is slated for operations by the second quarter of 2020 and will act as a satellite of the main port. It will feature a roll on/roll off ferry terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers; a facility for importing, processing, manufacturing and distributing construction materials; a storage area for a variety of goods, including exported and imported cars; and a new national strategic rail and road connection into the site.
   “Expansion is needed to cope with rising demand for construction materials and aggregates from the U.K.’s building sector, imported and exported cars, as well as an increase in ferry traffic, which carries consumer goods, perishables (food and drink) and steel between Europe and the U.K.,” said the port.
   Tilbury2 is central to the Port of Tilbury’s $1.34 billion investment program through 2020, which also includes the 70-acre London Distribution Park for Amazon UK, which began operations this fall. The investment program was initiated in 2012 as Tilbury is projected to double the volume across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million metric tons) and triple the direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs) over the next 10 to 15 years, the port said.
   “Ports play a key role in the long term growth of the UK economy, with Tilbury being a great example of an ambitious, successful operation which is growing to deliver the capacity businesses need to export products from the UK across the world,” said Rt Hon Dr. Liam Fox MP, International Trade Secretary. “As an international economic department, we will continue to champion the growth of our maritime sector, and we would certainly encourage local businesses to make the most of the fantastic connections Tilbury has to offer.”