The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Fiona Woolf, has welcomed the direct foreign investment by DP World into the UK’s new super port London Gateway.
During her visit to the facility, the Lord Mayor climbed one of the world’s largest quay cranes in order to have a full panoramic view of the three square mile site.
Work is currently ongoing to construct a Common User Facility and other proposed distribution centres.
Whilst visiting, the Right Honourable Fiona Woolf praised the assistance and investment that Dubai’s DP World had invested into the docks saying: “The Port of London has a vital role in this country’s great trading history.”
“As the Admiral of the Port of London, I am proud to say that the opening of DP World London Gateway has secured London as an international shipping and trading hub for the 21st century.”
Mohammed Sharaf, CEO of DP World Group said that they were “delighted to have the Lord Mayor of the City of London visit us at DP World London Gateway to see first-hand our investment and the benefits of having a major port and logistics park on London’s door step.”
Simon Moore, CEO of London Gateway showed equal sentiment stating: “By bringing the port and distribution back to London and closer to consumers we are enabling supply chain savings and the eight million people in London will benefit.”
Whilst the recent bout of atrocious weather has battered the coastline and massively disrupted trade and shipping across the UK, London Gateway has managed to benefit from the chaos.
Several shipping lines have been changing course to make the sheltered location their new port of call.
Since Christmas, London Gateway has seen eight unscheduled calls whilst other UK ports are struggling through the torrential downpours and high winds.
DP World London Gateway has a weekly call by Southern Africa Europe Container service operated by MOL, Maersk, Safmarine and DAL.
Starting in May, Hamburg-Sud and Hapag-Lloyd will operate the South America East Coast service, a South America West Coast, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand service and a North America West Coast, India, Pakistan and Middle East services from the port.
