Transport & Logistics
Thurrock is home to the UK logistics industry. Its unrivalled
location on the river Thames, with easy access to London, the South
East and Europe, makes it a natural hub for the movement of goods
in and out of the country.
More than 80 terminals are situated along the Thames, geared to
handle every type of cargo for import and export. Tilbury Container
Services offers 600 metres of berthing space, allowing flexible
handling of large crafts.
London Gateway, the new £1.5 billion world-class deep-sea
container port being developed by Dubai Ports, will drive change
and development in the area and generate close to 14,000 new jobs.
One of the largest capital projects in the UK, it will be a global
trade hub connecting the UK to the world’s major freight
routes.
The Logistics Park and Logistics and Transport Academy which
will be developed on the same site will ensure London Gateway
delivers more than just jobs. It will provide a centre of
excellence for the industry, linking the new port to colleges
across Thurrock and beyond and offering the industry a significant
learning and training resource for the future.
Eight miles to the west, Port of Tilbury – owned by Forth Ports
PLC – is a key local employer and London’s major port providing
fast, modern distribution services for the benefit of the south
east of England. It is the UK’s leading paper handling port and has
a strong position in containers, bulk commodities and construction
and building materials.
Plans for expansion and change at the Port will maintain its
competitive position and allow it to exploit new business
opportunities and markets. Cruise ships also use the Port for the
Baltic and other destinations, with passengers arriving and
departing through the Passenger Terminal, a Grade II listed
building opened in May 1930 by Ramsay MacDonald. With Tilbury and
Coalhouse Forts nearby, there is clear potential for developing
this part of Thurrock for visitors to Essex and London.
Meanwhile, with Thurrock and Basildon College, Port of Tilbury
is opening a new Fork Lift Truck Training Centre as part of the
Centre of Vocational Excellence in Grays – another example of the
local emphasis on vocational training available to new businesses
in the Borough.
In Thurrock, large and small businesses work together
effectively in one community, working together to find new
solutions for traditional industries.