First ships arrive at all-electric London Gateway berth four

DP World’s London Gateway has marked the operational launch of the world’s first all-electric berth with the arrival of MSC Sena.

The 2,800 teu ship was serviced by an all-electric fleet, including quay cranes, straddle carriers, and automatic stacking cranes at the new 430 m berth. MSC Sena departed the port on November 8 for Copenhagen.

DP World said berth four increased capacity at the port by over a third and will lead to increased reliability and reduced turnaround times, as well as creating 200 permanent jobs at London Gateway.

DP World last month announced plans to invest £1bn in two more berths at London Gateway as it seeks to take the UK’s second-busiest container port to the top spot within five years, overtaking current leader Felixstowe.

Ernst Schulze, CEO for Ports & Terminals at DP World in the UK, said: “The arrival of the first ship at our new all-electric fourth berth is a huge landmark for DP World’s ambitions in the UK. We have already invested more than £2bn in the building of our modern and efficient facility at London Gateway in the last decade, connecting the UK with global supply chains and export markets.

“This new berth, alongside our £1bn investment in the fifth and sixth berths, will further enable us to service the largest vessels in operation worldwide today, and the larger, future megaships currently under construction, while also advancing our goal to be net-zero by 2050.”

Related:DP World to invest £1bn at London Gateway

The new berth will operate alongside the London Gateway Logistics Park, where half of the 9.25m sq. ft of warehousing capacity has already been developed.

“At London Gateway and across our UK operations, we are quickly building a unique array of assets and end-to-end supply chain capabilities, helping our customers stay competitive in a fast-changing trading environment, while serving the national interest,” said Schulze.