The Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, unveiled its plans to reinvigorate its rail offering at the latest Rail Freight Group conference hosted at Orsett Hall, Thurrock, on Wednesday 28th June. 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.”
Lord Berkeley OBE, Chairman of the Rail Freight Group, said: “Intermodal rail freight continues to be a big success story, and Port of Tilbury’s developments and future plans are a growing part of that, with the launch of new intermodal services and the lodging of an application for a development consent order with the Planning Inspectorate to permit a new rail connected port terminal, Tilbury2. Our members look forward to supporting the team’s efforts in the months and years ahead to continue this success story.”
