London Gateway
Encyclopedia
London Gateway is a major new development under construction on the north bank of the River Thames
in Thurrock
, Essex
. It comprises a large new deep-water port, which will be able to handle the biggest container ship
s in the world, as well as one of Europe’s largest logistics
parks, providing effective access (by road and railways) to London
and the rest of Great Britain
. The complex will involve world-leading technology to increase productivity and reduce costs for shipping lines and the logistics industries.
The development will dramatically increase the capabilities of the Port of London
in handling modern container shipping and help meet the growing demand for container handling at Britain's ports.
The project is being undertaken by the owners, DP World, one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world. Construction began in the first quarter of 2010 and is expected to take several years, with the port and logistics park completed in stages. The first stage of construction is underway, in the form of a £400 million dredging and reclamation programme, led by a joint venture between contractors Laing O’Rourke and Dredging International.
site in Thurrock, Essex. The 1500 acres (6.1 km²) site is a former oil refinery, which closed in 1999. However, the site has been used as a port since the 16th century.
DP World received Government approval in May 2007 for the development of London Gateway. The proposals were also identified by Gordon Brown
as one of the four economic hubs essential for the regeneration of the Thames Gateway
.
In May 2008, the Department for Transport
issued a "Harbour Empowerment Order" for London Gateway, which provided official and statutory powers for the new port and established London Gateway as a legally recognised authority.
The future of the project was less certain after Moody's
downgraded DP World's financial status to 'junk'
in December 2009 in relation to the Financial crisis of 2007–2010 and associated financial problems for DP World's owners Dubai World
. In January 2010, DP World announced its intention to seek a share listing on the London Stock Exchange
in the second quarter of 2010 and was also given the go-ahead for construction of the port. Work started in February 2010.
Dredging in the Thames started in March 2010.
a year. The port will be located on the major shipping lanes serving north west Europe and will increase national deep-sea port capacity for the UK, as identified as necessary by the government.
At present, the ports of Felixstowe
and Southampton
are the first- and second-largest ports by container traffic in the UK, with the Port of London third.
DP World has stated that high-quality architecture, sustainability, and high levels of security and management will be key features of the park and will create an attractive environment for occupiers.
and some existing junctions on the A13 roads could be upgraded subject to funding and a rail connection to the port will be made to the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
line via an existing freight line.
regeneration initiative. In addition, there will be over 30,000 indirect and induced jobs.
to appoint constable
s to form a police force for the port (and for justices of the peace to dismiss them). If appointed, they will have all the powers and privileges of a constable within the port area, and if they pursue someone from the port area, then they will retain the same powers of arrest as they would have if they were still in the port area. The majority of the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
were applied by the Order.
Otherwise the local territorial police force is Essex Police
. The former Port of London Authority Police now only exists as the Port of Tilbury Police
.
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in Thurrock
Thurrock
Thurrock is a unitary authority with borough status in the English ceremonial county of Essex. It is part of the London commuter belt and an area of regeneration within the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The local authority is Thurrock Council....
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. It comprises a large new deep-water port, which will be able to handle the biggest container ship
Container ship
Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size intermodal containers, in a technique called containerization. They form a common means of commercial intermodal freight transport.-History:...
s in the world, as well as one of Europe’s largest logistics
Logistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
parks, providing effective access (by road and railways) to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the rest of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
. The complex will involve world-leading technology to increase productivity and reduce costs for shipping lines and the logistics industries.
The development will dramatically increase the capabilities of the Port of London
Port of London
The Port of London lies along the banks of the River Thames from London, England to the North Sea. Once the largest port in the world, it is currently the United Kingdom's second largest port, after Grimsby & Immingham...
in handling modern container shipping and help meet the growing demand for container handling at Britain's ports.
The project is being undertaken by the owners, DP World, one of the largest marine terminal operators in the world. Construction began in the first quarter of 2010 and is expected to take several years, with the port and logistics park completed in stages. The first stage of construction is underway, in the form of a £400 million dredging and reclamation programme, led by a joint venture between contractors Laing O’Rourke and Dredging International.
History
London Gateway is located on the former Shell HavenShell Haven
Shell Haven was a port on the north bank of the Thames Estuary at the eastern end of Thurrock, Essex, England and then an oil refinery. The refinery closed in 1999 and the site was purchased by DP World who received planning consent in May 2007 for the new London Gateway deep water container port...
site in Thurrock, Essex. The 1500 acres (6.1 km²) site is a former oil refinery, which closed in 1999. However, the site has been used as a port since the 16th century.
DP World received Government approval in May 2007 for the development of London Gateway. The proposals were also identified by Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
as one of the four economic hubs essential for the regeneration of the Thames Gateway
Thames Gateway
The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
.
In May 2008, the Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
issued a "Harbour Empowerment Order" for London Gateway, which provided official and statutory powers for the new port and established London Gateway as a legally recognised authority.
The future of the project was less certain after Moody's
Moody's
Moody's Corporation is the holding company for Moody's Analytics and Moody's Investors Service, a credit rating agency which performs international financial research and analysis on commercial and government entities. The company also ranks the credit-worthiness of borrowers using a standardized...
downgraded DP World's financial status to 'junk'
High-yield debt
In finance, a high-yield bond is a bond that is rated below investment grade...
in December 2009 in relation to the Financial crisis of 2007–2010 and associated financial problems for DP World's owners Dubai World
Dubai World
Dubai World is an investment company that manages and supervises a portfolio of businesses and projects for the Dubai government across a wide range of industry segments and projects that promote Dubai as a hub for commerce and trading. It is the emirate's flag bearer in global investments and has...
. In January 2010, DP World announced its intention to seek a share listing on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
in the second quarter of 2010 and was also given the go-ahead for construction of the port. Work started in February 2010.
Dredging in the Thames started in March 2010.
Port
London Gateway port will include a 2,700-metre-long container quay, with a fully developed capacity of 3.5 million TEUTwenty-foot equivalent unit
The twenty-foot equivalent unit is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of container ships and container terminals...
a year. The port will be located on the major shipping lanes serving north west Europe and will increase national deep-sea port capacity for the UK, as identified as necessary by the government.
At present, the ports of Felixstowe
Port of Felixstowe
The Port of Felixstowe, in Felixstowe, Suffolk is the UK's busiest container port, dealing with 35% of the country's container cargo. It was developed following the abandonment of a project for a deep-water harbour at Maplin Sands. In 2005, it was ranked as the 28th busiest container port in the...
and Southampton
Port of Southampton
The Port of Southampton is a major passenger and cargo port located in the central part of the south coast of England. It benefits from shelter provided by the Isle of Wight and Southampton Water, unique "double tides" and close proximity to the motorway and rail networks...
are the first- and second-largest ports by container traffic in the UK, with the Port of London third.
DP World has stated that high-quality architecture, sustainability, and high levels of security and management will be key features of the park and will create an attractive environment for occupiers.
Distribution Park
The distribution park at London Gateway will cover a development area of 300 hectares (700 acres). It will accommodate buildings in excess of one million sq ft, and offer linkages to local road and rail networks with access across the UK, including London. Outline planning permission has been granted for a total of 9500000 sq ft (882,578.9 m²).Transport Links
Junction 30 of the M25 motorwayM25 motorway
The M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
and some existing junctions on the A13 roads could be upgraded subject to funding and a rail connection to the port will be made to the London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
London, Tilbury and Southend Railway
The London, Tilbury and Southend Railway is an English railway line linking Fenchurch Street railway station in the City of London with northeast London and the entire length of the northern Thames Gateway area of southern Essex. It is currently known as the Essex Thameside Route by Network Rail...
line via an existing freight line.
Financing
DP World is planning to invest over £1.5bn to develop the project over a 10-15 year development period. It predicts that London Gateway will deliver about 12,000 new direct jobs, benefit the local and regional economy, and assist the government’s Thames GatewayThames Gateway
The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...
regeneration initiative. In addition, there will be over 30,000 indirect and induced jobs.
Policing
The London Gateway Port Harbour Empowerment Order 2008 permits the harbour authority to apply to a justice of the peaceJustice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
to appoint constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
s to form a police force for the port (and for justices of the peace to dismiss them). If appointed, they will have all the powers and privileges of a constable within the port area, and if they pursue someone from the port area, then they will retain the same powers of arrest as they would have if they were still in the port area. The majority of the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984
The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 is an Act of Parliament which instituted a legislative framework for the powers of police officers in England and Wales to combat crime, as well as providing codes of practice for the exercise of those powers. Part VI of PACE required the Home Secretary...
were applied by the Order.
Otherwise the local territorial police force is Essex Police
Essex Police
Essex Police is a territorial police force responsible for policing the county of Essex in the east of England.It is one of the largest non-metropolitan police forces in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 3,600 police officers and operating across an area of over and with a population of...
. The former Port of London Authority Police now only exists as the Port of Tilbury Police
Port of Tilbury Police
The Port of Tilbury Police is a small, specialised police force responsible for policing the Port of Tilbury, owned by the Port of Tilbury London Ltd, a subsidiary of Forth Ports plc. Known before 1992 as the Port of London Authority Police, at over 200 years old, it claims to be the oldest police...
.
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