The first new investment by the Port of London Authority (PLA), as part of its recently launched Investment Plan, is over £3 million support for the installation of a new conveyor system at
CEMEX Marine dredgers bring sand and gravel from the North Sea and other off-shore locations into three wharves along the Thames including Northfleet, primarily for use in the London construction market. The new conveyor will improve the discharge performance of the material from the dredger onto the Northfleet site for processing. The site currently handles approximately 500,000tonnes/year of material.
The PLA’s Investment Plan is aimed at diversifying the PLA’s income streams and delivering the goals of their Thames Vision, which targets greater river use, alongside an improving environment. The Investment Plan aims to support commercial investments which support the river and port use, long term investments which deliver public benefits and public benefit investment with no financial return.
PLA chairman Christopher Rodrigues CBE said: “We have built up a strategic cash reserve over many years to provide us with scope to make beneficial investments. We’re going to turn that reserve to active use, sustaining and growing river use and improving the environment. The Thames Vision sets out really ambitious goals and this is us doing our bit to kick start development and growth.”
CEMEX’s marine director, Laurence Dagley, said: “We welcome the opportunity to partner with the PLA to improve cargo handling on the Thames. London is an important market for us and this investment will provide a platform for continued use and future growth.
“The capital needs approximately 10 million tonnes of sand, gravel and crushed rock every year to build, maintain and improve housing, buildings and infrastructure. The use of water to transport building materials to the heart of the city reduces the need for long distance lorry movements, with every dredger reducing the need for 250 lorries on our busy roads.”
