THE work of teams and individuals at the Port of Tilbury who kept it running through the covid pandemic was highlighted and priased by a government transport minister today (Monday, 27 June).

The port played host to maritime minister Robert Courts for a briefing and tour, with particular emphasis on its role in the recently created Freeport.

Mr Courts was given an in-dock boat tour accompanied by the port's asset and site director, Paul Dale, and commercial director, Peter Ward. They were joined by Thurrock MP Jackie Doyle-Price; Thurrock Council's leader Cllr Rob Gledhill and its deputy leader, Cllr Mark Coxshall. The Minister met company apprentices and was given a demonstration of the Port's state-of-the-art simulator suite.

Mr Courts stopped at the country's largest unaccompanied freight ferry terminal, Tilbury2, a £250m investment spanning 160 acres, which was officially opened by the Prime Minister on 31 January 2022. The site is also home to new border infrastructure; the UK's largest construction materials processing hub operated by Tarmac; and Tesco's domestic rail operations.

He said: "Investment in the Port of Tilbury is investing in the local economy. With the new freight ferry terminal at Tilbury2 now in operation, more services can be added to the port, which will result in the creation of more jobs. We are committed to boosting global trade and supporting the port's growth will help to build and strengthen our economy.

"This is just one of the ways we're building back better – and we owe a big debt of gratitude to the hardworking team at the port who worked tirelessly during the pandemic, ensuring the movement of goods continued and who showed great resilience and dedication throughout."

After hosting the ministerial visit, Mr Dale said: "Built and delivered during the pandemic, Tilbury2 is a UK success story. Whether it's food or medical supplies, industrial goods or construction materials, our new port with its first class rail terminals and barge loading jetty provides a suite of low carbon distribution options for our customers. Backed by further substantial shareholder investment, the Thames Freeport will be a catalyst to expand at pace to satisfy growing customer demand in this prime location, delivering high quality employment and contributing to the levelling up of south Essex."

The T2 ferry terminal was built and operational during the height of the pandemic, the port terminal handles containers and trailers with exports and imported goods, including food, drink and medical supplies to and from continental Europe on P&O Ferries' busy Tilbury-Zeebrugge freight route. The site also handles Tesco's new refrigerated train service to Scotland's premier freight hub at the Port of Grangemouth.

Tarmac's construction materials terminal (CMAT) will use a bespoke 2km long aggregates conveyor system and a railhead capable of taking the longest freight trains at 775m, meaning construction materials can be delivered efficiently from vessel to the terminal for processing before moving onto building projects and public infrastructure schemes like HS2 without the use of heavy road haulage.