Construction materials business
The terminal will be located at Tilbury2, the new port being constructed on the north bank of the River Thames which is due to open in 2020.
The work will see the creation of new aggregate processing and manufacturing facilities, including an asphalt and ready mix concrete plant, at the new port terminal, supported by the terminal’s deep sea capacity for vessels up to 100,000 metric tonnes. The partners say that the riverside location will enable the easy import of raw materials and facilitate the use of the River Thames as a delivery route for processed construction materials into Central London.
Martin Riley, senior VP of Tarmac, commented on the project: “It demonstrates our firm commitment to the development of industry leading infrastructure to support the delivery of the UK’s long-term built environment ambitions.”
In February 2019, Forth Ports, owner of The Port of Tilbury, obtained approval under a development consent order (DCO) from the Planning Inspectorate to build a new terminal adjacent to its current port in Thurrock.
The new, privately funded port is being built on a 152-acre site and it is envisaged that Tilbury2 will act as a satellite of the main port. Tilbury2 will feature a roll on/roll off ferry terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers
There will also be a Construction Materials and Aggregate Terminal (CMAT) for importing, processing, manufacturing and distributing construction materials, in addition to a new nationally strategic rail and road connection into the site.
Mark Wood, Tarmac managing director – materials south, said: “This exclusive development will ensure the long-term security of aggregate supplies into London and the South East, allowing us to support vital construction projects while using alternative transportation methods for the movement of materials, taking vehicles off the congested roads around the capital and using the Thames as a means of importing aggregates and other bulk materials into London.”
Forth Ports chief executive Charles Hammond said: “Our investment in the development of Tilbury2 is essential for the Port of Tilbury to accommodate the growing demand from our customers. This announcement sees the creation of the country’s biggest construction materials processing hub in partnership with Tarmac, the UK’s largest supplier of construction materials, and is a valued addition to the broad range of partnerships we have right across our Tilbury facility.”
Joint development of the site by the Port of Tilbury and Tarmac will take place through late 2019 to establish most operations by the end of 2020.
Peter Ward, commercial director at the Port of Tilbury, said: “The port’s deep sea capacity for vessels up to 100,000 tonnes positions it uniquely to service Tarmac’s planned on-site aggregate processing and manufacturing facilities. Tarmac’s location within Tilbury2 will ensure that the construction industry in London and the South East of England can have fast access to the materials they require.”
