DP World is advancing the next phase of expansion at London Gateway with the publication of a GB£15–18 million tender for Phase 2 of its second rail terminal. Works include an 850m crane rail runway and infrastructure “capable of supporting robotic next generation RMGC equipment”.
The second rail terminal at London Gateway is an important part of DP World’s plan for improving the speed, reliability and scale of container flows from the quay to inland markets.
The facility is being developed to the west of the existing rail terminal, forming part of a broader reconfiguration of landside operations. Construction of the second rail terminal is in two phases. Phase 1 has already delivered two sidings, while Phase 2 will add five additional sidings and crane rails for RMGs.
For DP World, the second rail terminal translates directly into faster evacuation of containers from the quayside. This matters because berth productivity is only as strong as the landside system behind it. As vessel sizes increase and call sizes grow, ports must move containers inland more quickly to avoid yard congestion. By expanding its rail handling capacity, DP World is effectively increasing the rate at which cargo can flow away from the quay, supporting higher ship-to-shore productivity.
Automation and high-capacity handling
A central element of the tender is the construction of an 850-metre crane rail beam for rail-mounted gantry cranes. Work includes utilities and cable routes to support signalling infrastructure and “robotic next generation RMGC equipment”. At this stage it is not known whether DP World plans to implement the “robotic” RMGs from the outset, or is looking more at infrastructure that is prepared for later conversion to automation.
London Gateway has operated with Automatic Stacking Cranes (ASCs) in the yard from the outset. These are served by manned low-height straddle carriers for horizontal transport between the quay and the ASCs on the waterside. For the landside transfer to the rail exchange, London Gateway uses terminal tractors and a cassette handling system.
Further automation is on the cards for London Gateway. As noted, the infrastructure for the new rail yard must be capable of supporting automated RMGs. At other terminals in its global portfolio DP World is planning to implement IGVs (Intelligent Guided Vehicles) for both land and waterside drayage. It is also one of the many terminal operators looking at Autonomous Terminal Tractors (ATTs).
How ever the automation and technology landscape unfolds, London Gateway is pushing to integrate rail as part of a continuous handling process, where containers discharged from vessels can be routed through the yard and onto trains with minimal delay, reducing dwell times and improving asset utilisation across the terminal.
Scaling capacity without adding congestion
The rail tender also includes 21 new switches and crossings, along with signalling upgrades and a unified control system for both rail terminals. This allows more flexible train movements and reduces operational conflicts, particularly during peak periods following large vessel calls. The existing rail facilities at London Gateway are already among the busiest in Britain.
From a shipping perspective, this is about resilience as much as capacity. The ability to handle multiple trains simultaneously, with fewer bottlenecks, reduces the risk of yard build-up during busy exchanges. In turn, this supports more predictable turnaround times for vessels, an increasingly important factor as liner schedules tighten and port performance comes under greater scrutiny.
WorldCargo News is taking a longer look at London Gateway developments in a forthcoming issue this Spring. See more details of our print editions here.