A new off-dock empty container storage yard is to be opened at DP World London Gateway Port.
The five acre yard will be operated and managed by Solent Stevedores, an award-winning stevedoring company with a broad range of bulk and general cargo handling and storage services at ports in Southampton, Jersey, Immingham and London.
The facility will be located on Berth 7, outside of the terminal’s ISPS perimeter but adjacent to the port’s main gate.
A number of associated container services will also be offered by Solent Stevedores from the site.
Work to develop the yard will commence next month, with it then due to become operational by the first quarter of 2018.
The announcement of further investment in the UK’s most sophisticated logistics hub comes just as the first THE Alliance vessels, operating on Asia-Europe and transatlantic routes, begin calling at the port.
This complements the continued expansion of the Logistics Park, with Lidl starting operations out of the London Gateway Logistics Centre from April and work on UPS’s 345,000 sq ft parcel sorting hub is progressing on schedule, with the centre set to go live in the fourth quarter of 2017.
James Leeson, Head of Port Commercial, DP World London Gateway, said: “DP World has an established relationship with Solent Stevedores in Southampton and is delighted that the company is supporting our growth with this new facility at London Gateway.
“It will provide more choice at the port for our customers when they’re seeking solutions for the storage of empty containers.
“The DP World London Gateway logistics hub is growing fast; the network of services operating out of the port is now truly global, with access available into or out of the port from all of the world’s major economic centres. In turn, there is strong demand for ancillary logistics services providers to set up bases here, while interest in distribution centres on the Logistics Park remains extremely high.”
Fiona Robson, Managing Director, Solent Stevedores said: “We’re really looking forward to beginning operations at DP World London Gateway. The port is growing fast and we are absolutely certain that we have the ability to provide a high quality, competitive service for users of the port and add value to their operations.
“This marks an expansion of our successful service offerings at Port of Southampton, Port of St Helier, Port of Immingham and Silvertown, London.”