DP World is investing GBP300 million (USD414.7 million) in a fourth berth at its London Gateway logistics hub, which should raise capacity by a third.
In the first six months of 2021 London Gateway saw record throughput of 888,000 teu, a more than 23 percent increase on the previous best performance for the first half of a year.
The fourth berth will create more capacity for the world’s largest vessels, DP World explained, with the completion of the project expected to coincide with the delivery of a new wave of 24,000 teu vessels in 2023/2024, which will operate between Asia and Europe.
Elsewhere in the UK, Hutchison Ports’ port of Felixstowe – home to Freeport East – is to be one of the beneficiaries of the Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC).
The CMDC, developed with partners at Cranfield University, Sizewell C and EDF, involves a feasibility study into the potential for Freeport East to become both a net-zero port and a net-zero energy hub.
Chris Lewis, ceo at the port of Felixstowe, explained that the study will identify which solutions give the best viable outcome regarding speed and efficacy towards net zero.
“There is considerable use of fossil fuel in ports all over the world. Replacing hydrocarbons completely is a huge challenge. Technology replacements are in some cases becoming available but in many cases they are in their infancy or face other hurdles to adoption. All solutions demand very significant investment,” he said.
