London Gateway port is set for a £1 billion expansion, which should make it the UK’s largest container port by the end of this decade.

DP World have confirmed investment plans which will increase its capacity from 4 to 6 berths and stretch its quay to more than 1.5 miles long, improving its capabilities to handle today’s supersized container ships.

The port will be able to load and unload six of the 400m long supersized vessels simultaneously, and plans include building a second rail freight terminal. The company have stated that the expansion will create an extra 400 permanent new jobs.

The announcement was confirmed at the weekend, despite almost being cancelled due to a government minister calling for a boycott of P&O Ferries, a subsidiary of DP World, last week.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer had to intervene and state that Transport Secretary Louise Haigh’s views were  “not the view of the government”.

When referring to the company’s actions in 2022 when 800 British employees were replaced by overseas staff, Haigh described P&O as a ‘cowboy operator’, which temporarily threatened the announcement being made.