London’s Port of Tilbury Unveils Rail Freight Overhaul
29th June 2017
The Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, has unveiled plans to reinvigorate its rail offering. With three rail terminals in the port and the Essex Thameside rail corridor already accounting for approximately 10% of the UK’s rail freight traffic, the port showcased the three pillars to its strategy to revitalise its rail freight offering to an industry audience of 80 delegates.
In a presentation on behalf of the Forth Ports Group by Ross McKissock, Asset Manager, for the London Container Terminal, Tilbury projected a major uplift in their freight traffic in bulk and intermodal movements. With commercial partners, the port is seeking to:
• introduce regular intermodal services to the Midlands and Scotland
• create a dedicated bulk terminal, and
• establish a rail connection into a new 152-acre deep-water port terminal, Tilbury2
“As part of our sustainable and multi-modal approach, Tilbury is making the most of its assets and seeking to build afresh to ensure that our customers and tenants think rail, river and road when seeking the most effective delivery solution,” commented Peter Ward, Commercial Director, Port of Tilbury
Peter added: “We are underway with a major overhaul of our rail offering. This year, the port took possession of the Freightliner operated rail terminal and we have reconfigured the site to create a first for Tilbury, a dedicated bulk materials rail terminal. Initially, the port will be establishing regular movements of recycling glass to Cheshire and other UK locations. In time, we hope to grow the port’s rail freight offering across a range of bulk materials, with associated growth in rail movements.”