BUSINESS continues to boom in the freight shipping sector on the Thames, with two borough ports making significant announcements about investment.

DP World is investing £170 million in cutting-edge container handling technology at its London Gateway logistics hub at Corringham, saying it is a major step forward in the digitalisation and automation of port operations.

The techology has been developed by BOXBAY, a joint venture between DP World and Germany's SMS group

Its new 'Empty Superstack' system utilises innocative technology to store 20 and 40-oot empty containers up to 16 tiers high inside a fully enclosed, automated facility.

The system will be capable of holding up to 27,000 containers and delivers a significant improvement in capacity, safety and efficiency – operating like a giant vending machine for containers.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World, said: "The technology represents a leap forward in how ports manage container storage.

"It is scalable, automated and sustainable. By bringing this ingenious design to London Gateway, we are introducing advanced technology that will unlock faster throughput and contribute to higher safety standards."

Meanwhile, upriver at the borough's newest freight terminal, Forth Ports' Tilbury2, more ferry services are being introduced to meet increased demand.

P&O Ferries has introduced additional capacity on the Tilbury–Europoort and Zeebrugge–Tilbury routes in response to rising customer demand.

The latest upgrade further strengthens operations between the UK and the Netherlands.

More sailings for the Norsky and its sister ship the Norstream.

Two dedicated vessels, Norsky and Norstream, are now deployed on the routes between the Netherlands and Belgium, supported by extended port turnaround times that allow up to 20 additional freight units per sailing.

Sailing schedules have also been changed to ensure evening departures from both European mainland ports, improving service reliability and enabling faster cargo handling. In addition, the Europoort terminal now opens at 7am local time to facilitate earlier deliveries and collections for hauliers.

Weekly sailings between Zeebrugge and Tilbury have risen from 18 to 20.

Commenting on the expansion, Andrias Justinussen, Chief Growth Officer at P&O Ferries, said: "This expansion marks another decisive step in our growth journey. Strong customer demand has clearly shown the need for this service.

"It won't be our last move in the North Sea — we'll keep investing in smarter, scalable freight solutions that anticipate our customers' evolving needs.

"By boosting capacity, optimising schedules, and improving terminal access, we're not just moving goods — we're helping European businesses grow and compete."