London Container Terminal (LCT) is located within the Port of Tilbury, London’s principal port, offering advanced, end-to-end logistics solutions in the centre of Europe’s largest consumer market. The port provides exceptional multimodal connectivity to and from the capital and the wider South East region via rail, road, and barge.
Spanning 1,252 acres, the Port of Tilbury features 56 operational berths along 10.2 km of quayside. While most berths are located within a panamax-sized lock system, the port also offers deep-water berths directly on the River Thames, accommodating a full range of vessel types.
LCT operates as part of this dynamic and diverse port environment, which includes 31 independent terminals specialising in the handling of paper, forest products, grain, bulk commodities, construction materials, and recyclables. In addition, over 120 supply chain companies are based within the port estate, contributing to a thriving and collaborative logistics community.
Warehousing
As part of the Port of Tilbury, LCT is seamlessly connected to over 5 million square feet of warehousing, including temperature-controlled, bonded, and automated facilities. Strategically located to serve London and the South East, Tilbury is ideally positioned to support direct distribution from port to customer, an advantage that has made it a preferred location for major retailers and distributors of containerised goods.
Tilbury is home to over 120 supply chain companies, offering cutting-edge logistics and warehousing services. These include industry leaders such as Culina Group, Maritime Transport, Howard Tenens, London City Bond, and Denholm Logistics.
As the UK’s leading port for forest products, Tilbury also boasts some of the most advanced storage facilities in Europe. Each year, the port handles more than 3 million tonnes of forest products, from jumbo reels of paper to plywood and panel materials.
A standout facility within the port is the Enterprise Distribution Centre (EDC), one of the UK’s first fully automated warehouses. Featuring a 32-metre high bay with automated cranes and conveyor systems, EDC supports up to 29,000 product locations.
Tilbury is also the location of choice for major players in e-commerce and specialised logistics. One of the world’s largest online retailers operates a 2 million sq ft distribution hub at London Distribution Park. Meanwhile, the UK’s leading drinks logistics provider and a top chilled cargo operator manage 225,000 sq ft and 200,000 sq ft facilities respectively, further cementing Tilbury’s status as a logistics powerhouse.
Off Quay Container Storage
The core purpose of LCT is to ensure the efficient and safe movement of cargo between vessels, container stacks, and onward transport. To achieve this, minimising dwell times and avoiding terminal congestion remain our highest priorities. Our charging structures and operational processes are designed to keep cargo flowing smoothly.
We understand the complexities our customers face within intricate supply chains, and we recognise the value of flexibility around storage, demurrage, and delivery schedules. To ease pressure on both the terminal and the wider supply chain, we have established a dedicated off-quay storage facility for containers with longer dwell times, located within the port estate and close to LCT.
This facility combines the advantages of port-side storage, including easy container access and robust security, with a cost-effective pricing model. Positioned strategically within the Port of Tilbury, it offers an ideal solution for storing and distributing containers directly from the port to the UK’s main population centres.
Rail Linked & Ready
At LCT and the wider Port of Tilbury, we are dedicated to enabling the most environmentally friendly transport solutions. To support this commitment, we have invested in four rail terminals across the port, significantly enhancing freight train accessibility.
In 2021, the Port of Tilbury experienced a tenfold increase in rail freight traffic, a trend expected to continue as more businesses focus on decarbonising their supply chains. Our substantial investments have created new and upgraded rail terminals capable of handling the longest trains on the national network. These services connect Tilbury to key UK regions including South Wales, the North West, the Midlands, and Scotland, supporting sectors such as retail, e-commerce, food, and drink.
LCT features an integrated railhead with sidings designed for straddle carrier operations, ensuring rapid train turnaround times. Tilbury also offers a bespoke bulk railhead dedicated to the construction and waste industries, while Tilbury2 boasts an extensive rail terminal supporting both intermodal and bulk train movements.
These open-access terminals link seamlessly to the W10 gauge-cleared Tilbury loop and onward to the national rail network, connecting to all major UK rail freight interchanges. With daily rail services to the UK’s largest retail hubs and the capacity to accommodate the longest 775-meter trains on the network, we provide market-leading, low-carbon distribution solutions, enabling clean, green, and sustainable supply chains.
Major retailers depend on Tilbury’s robust rail infrastructure to transport products efficiently between international markets and UK distribution centres.
Ro-Ro Know How
Our state-of-the-art roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) terminals provide direct links between the UK and key regions including Europe, Scandinavia, Africa, and South America, facilitating growth in the movement of containers, trailers, trade cars, machinery, and project cargo.
In a £250 million investment to expand the port, Tilbury opened a new ro-ro ferry terminal at Tilbury2 in 2020, in partnership with P&O Ferries. This facility handles the import and export of containers and trailers to northern Europe and underscores our commitment to advancing sustainable transport solutions. Tilbury2 plays a pivotal role in shifting cargo flows from high-carbon accompanied trailers to more environmentally friendly unaccompanied transport modes, adding 500,000 freight units of capacity to the UK market.
Overall, the Port of Tilbury operates 16 weekly freight ferry services from Europe, including two daily sailings from Zeebrugge, bi-weekly services to Scandinavia, and connections to East and West Africa. The port also supports the import and export of trade cars and heavy plant equipment for leading market operators, alongside a diverse range of breakbulk cargo handled on specialist platforms.
With extensive experience and capacity, Tilbury is equipped to manage a wide variety of cargo types and ready to accommodate future growth.
Port-centric Leaders
The Port of Tilbury is a leader in portcentric logistics, a model that positions distribution centres directly alongside core port operations. This approach reduces double-handling and transportation by efficiently consolidating and directing goods for their next stage—whether that’s further distribution or direct delivery to the consumer—without leaving the multimodal hub. The result is significant supply chain cost savings and a positive environmental impact.
From Tilbury, customers can reach most businesses in London and the South East within an hour, bringing the supply chain closer to the end user. By choosing Tilbury, shippers can immediately reduce carbon emissions by cutting road miles compared to alternative routes. Cargo can be consolidated, reworked, or processed right at the port, supported by numerous independent service providers offering cross-docking, devanning, and warehousing solutions that help lower logistics costs. Bonded and temperature-controlled facilities are also readily available.
As the closest container port to London, Tilbury minimises road transport distances and provides an eco-friendly alternative with low-carbon barge deliveries into one of Europe’s largest consumer markets and fastest-growing e-commerce hubs. Additionally, the port has invested in four specialised rail terminals to encourage greater use of greener transport modes, making Tilbury a truly sustainable logistics solution.
Port of Tilbury
The Port of Tilbury has been serving London and the South East for more than 130 years, continuously evolving its supply chain solutions to meet the future needs of businesses relying on its dedicated terminals. Handling over 16 million tonnes of cargo annually across 56 operational berths and 31 independent terminals, the port efficiently manages a wide range of commodities and vessel types. Equipped with advanced machinery and cutting-edge IT systems, Tilbury delivers industry-leading vessel and gate turnaround times while upholding the highest operational and safety standards. For inland transport, the port offers four onsite railheads, rapid access to the M25 motorway, and environmentally friendly barge services to central London, ensuring your visit won’t last long.
Over the past decade, the port and its customers have invested more than £1 billion to develop state-of-the-art facilities with the capacity to support future growth. Now, as part of the Thames Freeport, one of the UK’s newest special economic zones, Tilbury is poised to accelerate the delivery of low-carbon logistics solutions. With a strong network, extensive experience, expert knowledge, and ample resources, the port is ready to support your business. Join our thriving port community and be part of the future of sustainable trade.
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Please take a look at Port of Tilbury from the air. Our aerial tour will guide you through the business areas within the Port of Tilbury.
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An overview of activities and services from the Port of Tilbury
