AS expected, and following a spat that brought about some diplomatic manoeuvring by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, DP World has today announced a £1bn expansion of Thurrock's London Gateway that will make it Britain's largest container port.

Capacity will be increased by building two new shipping berths, taking the total to six berths able to receive the world's largest container ships. The site will also see a second rail terminal added to handle the expected increase in containerised trade.

By the end of the decade, the full quayside stretching more than 2.5km in length will be able to simultaneously receive six vessels, each more than 400 metres long, and boast Europe's tallest quay cranes at the height of the Big Ben.

The expansion will create a further 400 permanent new jobs, in addition to the 1,200 currently employed at the port.

The expansion will take the total invested by DP World at London Gateway to more than £3bn, converting the site of a former oil refinery into one of the UK's largest and most important logistics hubs.

The site has most recently seen the addition of a £350m fourth berth, the first to be powered entirely by electricity, and which will soon accept its first ship.

DP World has established Europe's largest logistics park, employing 1,500 workers.

Tenants at the park benefit from storage, warehousing and distribution services linked to rail freight.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Group Chairman & Chief Executive Officer at DP World said: "DP World London Gateway will help make Britain's trade flow in the future by connecting domestic exporters with global markets and delivering vital supply chain resilience for the whole economy. I am proud of this major investment which underlines DP World's long-term commitment to the UK."

Ernst Schulze, Chief Executive Officer for Ports & Terminals at DP World UK, said: "As this commitment demonstrates, London Gateway's location and transport infrastructure are ideally placed for expansion. With extra capacity comes the reliability and supply chain resilience so important to our customers and consumers, especially in uncertain times such as the pandemic and disruption due to geopolitical events."