Tilbury2’s brand new unaccompanied* freight ferry terminal opened for business this week at a vital time for the UK’s freight industry. The 500,000-unit freight-only facility will inject state-of-the-art capacity into the country’s ports sector by utilising a truck driver-free operation* at a time when infection control is uppermost in everyone’s minds. [*Unaccompanied – freight transported into the UK without truck drivers]

After a year of construction, led by construction giants GRAHAM, the country’s newest and largest unaccompanied freight roll on/roll off (ro-ro) terminal, located at the edge of London, will operate in exclusive partnership with P&O Ferries. The first ship to use the fully operational terminal was P&O’s chartered freight ferry the Norstream. Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/423067160

The bespoke terminal will import and export containers and trailers with vital supplies for the UK, including food, drink and medicines to and from continental Europe on P&O’s busy Tilbury-Zeebrugge freight route.

The new ro-ro terminal is part of a £250 million investment by owner, Forth Ports, which is creating a brand-new port, Tilbury2. The terminal is trusted trader Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accredited and embraces the latest booking and border technology, such as number plate recognition, which ensures that the terminal is Brexit-ready to continue the smooth passage of goods, regardless of the eventual EU-UK settlement. The marine works for the new ro-ro terminal were completed in April and successful ship trials were carried out on 17 May.

Commenting on the opening, Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive of Forth Ports, said: “This is an important time for the UK as we emerge from the lockdown. Our new freight terminal is the country’s most modern ferry port offering a seamless and lower carbon route to the biggest consumer market in Europe, Greater London. Despite the current challenges we have delivered a resilient terminal with significant headroom to grow as we pursue our vision of being the nation’s strategic freight gateway to-and-from Europe. We believe that this terminal opening is a symbol of hope for economic recovery.”

Maritime Minister, Kelly Tolhurst said: “Barely a year since getting the green light from my Department, the opening of the Tilbury2 unaccompanied ferry terminal really is a landmark moment for this major infrastructure project. It is a great testimony to all those who worked on the build that it has been finished and opened, despite the current challenges facing the maritime sector. The new terminal will provide more capacity and jobs at a vital time, when our world-leading ports will be at the forefront of the UK’s economic recovery.”

Paul Dale, Asset & Site Director at the Port of Tilbury, said: “The switch to a river berth provides significant growth opportunities. P&O can bring in larger vessels, deliver faster vessel turnaround times and – most importantly – get containers and trailers onto an inland barge or the motorway network in under an hour. While this enhanced offering will support further growth through the Zeebrugge route and the possibility to expand into other northern European locations, it also provides a critical low carbon delivery alternative through our new rail connection.”

Janette Bell, Chief Executive of P&O Ferries, said: “After the successful ship trials just over a week ago at Tilbury2, P&O Ferries is delighted that the driver-free freight ferry terminal is operational.  This terminal will significantly increase the speed of our services and improve access to the M25 for our customers who carry important consumer and industry goods, such as detergents and pharmaceuticals, building materials and fertiliser, wine and beer and cosmetics. We look forward to developing all of the opportunities this terminal has to offer for our customers.”

Leo Martin, Managing Director, Civil Engineering at GRAHAM, said: “The opening of the Tilbury2 ferry freight terminal is a major development in the Port of Tilbury’s expansion and will support economic growth at a local, regional and national level. We are extremely proud to have played our part in the construction of such an important infrastructure project, which will undoubtedly unlock further potential for freight transportation between the UK and mainland Europe.”

Robin Mortimer, Chief Executive of the Port of London Authority said: “It’s fantastic to see Tilbury2’s ferry terminal completed and operational.  Forth Ports’ investment in its Thames operations is creating the sustainable, resilient operations on which the country depends.  Tilbury2 is set to play a key role from day one and is a major growth opportunity for the future.”

Tilbury2 is a new port at the former Tilbury Power Station on the north bank of the River Thames on the outskirts of London. When fully operational later this year, Tilbury2 will be the UK’s largest unaccompanied freight ferry port, the country’s biggest construction processing hub and will see the creation of a new significantly larger rail head which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775 metres.

More about Tilbury 2

Tilbury2 received development consent from the Secretary of State for Transport in February 2019 to build Tilbury2 – the new multimillion-pound port terminal adjacent to the current 930-acre site in Thurrock, on the outskirts of Greater London.

The £250m Tilbury2 project consists of the construction of a new port terminal and associated facilities and once fully open, Tilbury2 will comprise:

• A roll on/roll off ferry terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers to northern Europe, in partnership with P&O Ferries
• A facility for importing, processing, manufacturing and distributing construction materials
• A strategic rail terminal which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775m
• Storage areas for a variety of goods, including exported and imported cars.
• The site will be trusted trader Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accredited and will employ the latest border technology, such as number plate recognition.

The project is central to the Port of Tilbury’s £1 billion investment programme during 2012-20, which has seen it double the size of its business in the past 10 years and is projected to double the volume of cargo across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and increase direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs).

27 May 2020                                   -ends-

The country’s newest and largest unaccompanied* freight roll on/roll off (ro-ro) terminal at Tilbury2 took a step closer to opening with the successful completion of ship trials at the weekend. [*Unaccompanied – freight transport without truck drivers]

Two of P&O’s chartered freight ferry fleet, the Bore Song and the Norstream, arrived at the new ro-ro terminal on the Thames on Sunday 17 May where the port team carried out a full test of the marine facilities including manoeuvring and tying up the ship to test the berth; lowering the ship’s ferry ramp to test the pontoon facilities; and carrying out a full risk assessment. The ship trial was deemed a success with a smooth execution of all the test points being achieved [see link to video here: https://vimeo.com/419827832].

The ferry terminal, which is due to open next week, has a capacity of 500,000 units and will operate in partnership between the port and P&O Ferries importing and exporting containers and trailers with food, drink, medicines and other vital supplies to-and-from Europe.

Commenting on reaching this milestone, Charles Hammond, Group Chief Executive of Forth Ports, said: “I am extremely proud that we have reached this point with our new port. We are in unprecedented times, both in the UK and globally, and this new unaccompanied terminal at Tilbury2 will ensure that we keep the vital supplies coming into the country as safely as possible, not just now but long into the future. Being a freight only terminal ensures that there is less risk of driver infection and exposure for our own quay workers at the port. The additional capacity of 500,000 units with streamlined customs procedures will enhance national economic resilience I would like to thank our excellent team for achieving this milestone in such challenging times.”

Tilbury2 is a new port at the former Tilbury Power Station on the north bank of the River Thames on the outskirts of London. When fully operational, Tilbury2 will be the UK’s largest unaccompanied freight ferry port, the country’s biggest construction processing hub and will see the creation of a new significantly larger rail head which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775metres.

Janette Bell, Chief Executive of P&O Ferries, said: “The successful ship trial at Tilbury2 means that P&O Ferries will soon be able to offer customers even more choice when it comes to moving goods punctually, efficiently and reliably between Britain and Europe. The new berth will make our service faster and will guarantee that goods from Europe can be unloaded and continue their journey onto the M25 before the rush hour – a significant benefit for our customers. Tilbury2 will further strengthen the unrivalled connectivity we offer our customers along the entire east coast of England and demonstrates our commitment to making trade flow during this crisis and beyond.”

Peter Ward, Commercial Director at the Port of Tilbury, said: “The ship trial at the weekend marks an important milestone for the T2 project. We started construction in Spring 2019 and working with GRAHAM, we are on track to open the first part of the port next week. The marine works were an important part of the project and included constructing a floating pontoon, link-span/articulated bridge, pilings and riverbed preparation for the berth. My thanks to the team at GRAHAM and P&O and the PLA for supporting us with these trials.”

Robin Mortimer, Chief Executive of the Port of London Authority said: “The successful ship trial at Tilbury2 is a major milestone for operations on the Thames.  On the doorstep of the UK’s major consumer market, this is the logical place for new marine infrastructure, adding further resilience to supply chains which is essential in these challenging times.”

The marine works for the new ro-ro terminal were completed in April by GRAHAM who are constructing both the marine and land side of the new £200m, 160-acre port.

Leo Martin, Managing Director, Civil Engineering at GRAHAM, said: “The completion of the first ship trial at Tilbury2 is very exciting news for the project. We were proud to be selected for both the terrestrial and marine packages of works, and the size and scale of the development, whilst challenging, has been very rewarding for our team to be involved in. We’re now looking forward to the opening of the ferry terminal and seeing both our and the Port of Tilbury’s hard work coming to fruition.”

More about Tilbury 2

Tilbury2 received development consent from the Secretary of State for Transport in February 2019 to build Tilbury2 – the new multimillion-pound port terminal adjacent to the current 930-acre site in Thurrock, on the outskirts of Greater London.

The £200m Tilbury2 project consists of the construction of a new port terminal and associated facilities and once fully open, Tilbury2 will comprise:

• A roll on/roll off ferry terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers to northern Europe, in partnership with P&O Ferries
• A facility for importing, processing, manufacturing and distributing construction materials
• A strategic rail terminal which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775m
• Storage areas for a variety of goods, including exported and imported cars.
• The site will be trusted trader Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accredited and will employ the latest border technology, such as number plate recognition.

The project is central to the Port of Tilbury’s £1 billion investment programme during 2012-20, which has seen it double the size of its business in the past 10 years and is projected to double the volume of cargo across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and increase direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs).

18 May 2020                                           -ends-

The 8^th May 2020 marks the 75^th anniversary of VE Day and the end of WW2. Across the country, we honour the heroes of this war. Our ports played a vital role in the war effort as naval bases, departure and arrival points for troops and for ensuring vital supplies reach where they are most needed.

We are proud of the supporting roles our ports and waterways played during the war effort and today we continue our role with our affiliation with the Royal British Legion. Our maritime colleagues across our ports and estuaries will be taking part in the Royal Navy’s ‘Shine A Light’ event to mark the historic events of VE day.

Our friend Sue Yates, from Tilbury on the Thames Trust, has written a piece specifically about the role The Port of Tilbury undertook during WW2 and we share this below:

TILBURY IN WORLD WAR II

By Sue Yates, Chair of Thurrock Historical Society and Director of Tilbury on the Thames Trust

Tilbury Docks built in 1886 were an immediate target for the Luftwaffe in the World War II.  Tilbury played a very important role during the war not only as a dock but for evacuating Thurrock school children as well as its part in building Mulberry Harbours and P.L.U.T.O.

Before the outbreak of war it had been decided that Thurrock would be a danger area because of its docks, oil refineries and large factories.  A plan was therefore formulated to evacuate school children and their teachers from Thurrock.  On 2^nd September 1939 the children were escorted to Tilbury Landing Stage.  An advert to this effect appeared in the Thurrock Gazette of 2nd September 1939 stating the evacuation day for Tilbury children was 2^nd September whilst the rest of the youngsters from the area would go on 3^rd September.  Children including Eileen Webb and her sister Jill assembled in their school playground at 6.00a.m. complete with gas masks, night clothes and a change of clothing.  They were taken by bus to the docks where they boarded the ‘Royal Daffodil’, ‘Crested Eagle’ or ‘Golden Eagle’ which would take them to safety in Suffolk.

On Friday 16^th August 1940 there were two air raids.  The first from 12.30p.m. to 2.30p.m.  and the second from 4.30p.m. to 6.30p.m.  So quickly did these raids begin after the sirens sounded that men working in Tilbury out in the open had no time to escape prior to the bombs falling.  One house was destroyed, 204 Feenan Highway, Tilbury and a number of others were damaged.  This was the first house to be destroyed by enemy bombers in Tilbury.

A de-gaussing monitoring point was set up at Coalhouse Fort operated by WRNS.  It was here that the outgoing vessels had their magnetic reading checked.  If de-gaussing was required the work was done in Tilbury Docks.  Tilbury Docks was also a gathering point for the small ships who were to evacuate British Troops from Dunkirk in 1940.

Tilbury played a very important part in the British war effort.  Its residents were bombed regularly as they lived in close proximity to the docks.  In 1941 The Basin Tavern was hit by a bomb.  On the night of 14^th/15^th March 1941 Tilbury Landing Stage was hit by a bomb and it was not until after the war that it was fully repaired.  In 1943 the eastern block of The Dwellings was demolished because of war damage.  On 4^th February 1944 the iconic local landmark The Tilbury Hotel was hit by enemy incendiaries.  They lodged in the ceiling of the saloon bar.  Frantic efforts were made to control the fire but all to no avail as due to the hotels wooden construction fire spread rapidly.  The hotel was destroyed.

In 1943 plans were being made for a Normandy landing and to help in this the United Kingdom invented the Mulberry Harbour.  These were two temporary portable harbours developed by the United Kingdom during the Second World War to facilitate the rapid offloading of cargo onto beaches especially fuel.  They had extending legs, like North Sea oil rigs, to jack them off the seabed and were connected to the shore by a floating road.  These were made up of 213 units and 22 were made in Thurrock most of these were made in the dry dock at Tilbury.

22^nd September 1944 saw another important contribution of Tilbury because this was the day that P.L.U.T.O. (pipeline under the ocean) was laid.  This was invented to enable the constant supply of fuel to the Normandy beaches.   This was a very long pipeline wound on to reels which were used on specially adapted vessels.  At Tilbury Docks two assembly sheds were built in the north east of the docks and a line of concrete supports, with rollers on, ran diagonally across.  The pipeline was rolled along this track and coiled on drums at the far end.

8^th May 1945 V.E. Day at last.   At 3p.m. on Tuesday 8^th May 1945 Winston Churchill announced in his radio broadcast Victory in Europe and that hostilities would cease at one minute past midnight that night.

The air was filled with the sound of church bells ringing out across the country and not the sound of bombs.  Everywhere, and Tilbury was no exception, people were out in the streets singing and dancing, hanging from lampposts, waving flags.  There were parades and tables appeared in the streets laden with food.  People made bunting and decorations.   Children wore Union Jack hats.  It was mainly the women as they were still awaiting the impending return of their menfolk from war.  Over two million homes had been damaged during the war the lights had been out but now everyone turned them on and went out in the streets to see what it looked like.  In Grays the Police Station now the former Court House was floodlit.  The pubs were permitted to stay open until 11p.m. but began running out of beer long before that.  At 1.30 a..m. the lights were switched off but the crowds chanted for their return so they were turned on again.  People in Tilbury too celebrated wildly in to the night and next day partying in the streets.  No more sleeping in air raid shelters no more blackouts.  “The War in Germany is at an end.  Advance Britannia!  Long live the cause of freedom!  God save the King!”

Since the lockdown in March, ports have not stopped working. All of our ports are open and our quay workers around the UK have been working hard during these challenging times to make sure that food and goods arriving into their ports are getting to where they are most needed.

In March alone, the Group, which operates eight ports across the UK including Tilbury, Grangemouth, Leith, Rosyth and Dundee has managed:

• 74,000T of wheat – the equivalent of 148 million loaves of bread for our supermarkets
• 40,000 tonnes of food for supermarket shelves, including over 8,500T of fruit and vegetables and the equivalent of 2.5m packs of pasta, 2m packs of rice, 4.75m tins of food and enough fruit juice to fill 5.6m cartons
• 2700T of medical supplies, 4.8m nappies and 3.8m bottles of soap
• 6,200T of tissue and paper products to make toilet rolls, pharmaceutical packaging and food packaging
• 27,000T of fertiliser into the east coast of Scotland to support the growth of key agricultural products
• 10,000T of fishmeal this year which is crucial to the supply of Scotland’s aquaculture industry
• Over 50,000T of animal feed in stock, supporting Scotland and the South East’s key livestock, pig and poultry producers.
• Providing safe anchorages and berths for 9 cruise vessels in the River Forth and the River Thames
• Handled the plywood used to build the NHS Nightingale Hospitals in London and Birmingham and the NHS Louisa Jordan in Glasgow

Commenting on the infographic, Charles Hammond, Chief Executive of Forth Ports said: “I am extremely proud and grateful to our hard-working teams across our ports. Our own ‘quay’ workers have adapted admirably to the necessary changes and restrictions in order for us ensure we work in a safe and protected environment. All of this enables us to handle the much-needed products for other front-line essential services, people and business across the UK. It is clear to see from this infographic the key role that our ports are playing in these very challenging times to keep the supermarket shelves full and the economy moving.”

22 April 2020                        – ends –

On the 2 April for the 8pm Clap for Carers event, the hard working team from the London Container Terminal at The Port of Tilbury, undertook a container shuffle of 137 containers to create a tribute to the NHS workers and all the other key workers keeping vital services going for us all. The container shuffle was carried out yesterday and completed ahead of the 8pm event.

Commenting on the container shuffle, Paul Dale, Asset & Site Director at the Port of Tilbury said: “We wanted to recognise the important role that the NHS and all the other key workers, including our own port teams here in Tilbury and across the UK, are delivering in these challenging times. The team at the container terminal did a brilliant job shuffling the containers and it is a fitting tribute to everyone working at the frontline.”

Ross McKissock, Asset Manager London Container Terminal said: “The team at the container terminal came up with the idea for a container tribute to thank the NHS and key workers. It took the team most the day to identify and reshuffle the 137 empty boxes to bring the message to life. In total our drivers undertook around 400 moves to create the message which now greets all lorries entering the container terminal. During these tough times, we wanted to create a message of support and hope for us all.”

The arrival of the cargo vessel the Anna G into Scotland’s container terminal in Grangemouth at the weekend launched a new east coast container feeder shipping service with Unifeeder.

This new service is the first direct feeder call from Scotland to London Gateway on the Thames Increasing connectivity options for customers shipping to international markets and providing a new offering for UK domestic cargoes.

The service connects Grangemouth with London and offers both deep sea and short sea transit opportunities for customers. The weekly rotation calls at Grangemouth, London Gateway, Dunkerque, Antwerp and Teesport.

Commenting on the new call, Derek Knox, Port Manager said: “It’s great to see this new service from Grangemouth to London Gateway launched by Unifeeder.  This new connection to London increases the shipping options offered to our customers within the UK and beyond from Scotland’s container terminal. The service demonstrates Unifeeder’s confidence and commitment to both the Port and Scottish Market by offering a new alternative to existing supply chain solutions. We look forward to supporting Unifeeder with the service.

The prime location of Grangemouth on the east coast coupled with our experience, expertise and equipment deliver a first-rate service for customers. We continue to invest significantly in Grangemouth with new equipment, an expanded container terminal area and over 400 reefer connections secures us as Scotland’s largest container terminal.”

The Port of Grangemouth operates Scotland’s largest container port and handles in excess of 155,000 containers per annum. More than £6billion worth of goods passes through Grangemouth each year including steel plate, timber, paper and equipment for the oil and gas industry. There are regular container services from Grangemouth with frequent daily sailings to Rotterdam, Antwerp, Felixstowe and Hamburg. Most of the major lines utilise these feeder services to link with mother container vessels plying between the world’s major ports.

10 March 2020                                               -Ends-

Forth Ports’ Senior Harbour Master, Ashley Nicolson scooped the prestigious Women in Industry award for the first time at the CeeD (Centre for Engineering Education and Development) Industry Awards 2020.

Ashley Nicolson is part of the marine team at Forth Ports which manages and operates an area of 280 square miles of navigable waters on the River Forth and the River Tay, including two specialised marine terminals for oil and gas export.

Through her role at Forth Ports and her Vice President role at the UK Harbour Masters Association (UKHMA), Ashley is helping to drive the change required to ensure a more gender diverse workforce within the maritime sector. Ashley and her two colleagues from the marine team have committed to supporting the ‘Maritime and Me’ campaign launched recently by Maritime UK with the aim of encouraging women to join the industry.

This award also recognises Forth Ports’ corporate values which celebrate equal opportunity and achievement in the sector. Forth Ports has committed to the UK Women in Maritime Pledge to create positive change within the organisation and the wider UK maritime sector. The port group is also working towards achieving Women in Maritime UK Chartered Company Status.

Commenting on her award win, Ashley Nicolson said: “I am extremely proud to win this award and I hope it sets a positive example for other women in the maritime industry. I have progressed my career into areas and roles never previously held by women, challenging the standards and leading by example; fully supported by Forth Ports. Along with the current industry campaigns like ‘Maritime and me’, there is now real momentum to deliver change and help inspire other women to excel and influence the development of the industry.”

Celebrating the CeeD award success, Jackie Anderson, Group HR Manager of Forth Ports said: “We are all thrilled for Ashley and we congratulate her on this well-deserved award. At Forth Ports, we are committed to building an employment culture that actively supports and celebrates gender diversity, at all levels, throughout our organisation and throughout our industry.”

Ashley supports the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) Women’s Forum with their pilot mentorship programme, providing mentorship to other women in the industry. She is also UKHMA Vice President and will become president in June 2020 – becoming the first female to hold the role in the association’s history, which has been in existence since 1993 and the largest organisation of Harbour Masters worldwide.  Ashley has also won the Hammerman Award.

04 March 2020                                   -ends-