Forth Ports has announced ambitious new plans to expand the Port of Tilbury with the development of a new port area, Tilbury3 (T3), on the River Thames east of London. The new development will create additional port capacity and unlock Freeport potential as part of the collaboration with DP World London Gateway. The two ports are the designated heart of the Thames Freeport, a part of the UK government’s economic and trade initiative. Forth Ports, headquartered in Leith, Edinburgh, has submitted an outline planning application to the local administration, Thurrock Council, to redevelop a 100-acre brownfield site adjacent to the existing Tilbury2 (T2) facility.
What was once the site of Tilbury Power Station will become a generator of trading power if the new port plans spark into life. Tilbury3, as it’s being designated by Forth Ports, will form part of the wider Thames Freeport. The development will benefit from tax incentives aimed at attracting investment, generating trade, and creating new employment opportunities in the area. The site, equivalent in size to 70 football pitches, will support Tilbury’s key industrial and logistics markets, according to the owners.
Multi-use facility to boost port and logistics capacity
According to Forth Ports, the T3 development has been designed to accommodate a wide range of uses. These include general industrial storage, warehousing, and processing; a construction material and aggregate terminal; container handling and storage; and vehicle storage. “This is an exciting time for the Port of Tilbury, part of our growth investment strategy to expand our operations in growth markets in renewable power, recycling and logistics, “ said Stuart Wallace, CEO of Forth Ports Group. “T3 will sustain existing roles and create many new jobs; contribute to the local economy; and future proof the Port of Tilbury in supporting the economies of Greater London and the South East.”
The location on the former Tilbury Power Station site allows T3 to share infrastructure with T2, including vehicle access to the strategic road network and connections to both river and rail freight services. “The Port of Tilbury is a central economic site in the Thames Freeport,” explained Martin Whiteley, CEO of Thames Freeport. “Plans to expand Tilbury3 will boost growth and create new good value jobs for local people. The new development at Tilbury will further support the Thames Freeport ambition to attract international investment and enable regeneration of local communities.”
Environmental planning and phased development approach
The proposal includes a commitment to responsible development. A full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been submitted as part of the outline application, with a more detailed planning submission to follow if Thurrock Council grants approval. The port operator plans to apply the same successful habitat creation and biodiversity strategies used in recent developments at T2 and the London Distribution Park (LDP).
The Port of Tilbury is the largest of Forth Ports’ eight UK ports, with 56 operational berths, 31 independent working terminals, 10.2km of quay, and 5 million square feet of warehousing. Tilbury is 22 nautical miles from central London, the capital’s closest port and the largest multi-modal port in the region. The port benefits from modern rail connections, which operators exploit for nationwide intermodal services. The development will be delivered in phases. Construction of Tilbury3 is expected to begin in 2026, with full operations targeted for 2030.