# London (GB LON)

**UN/LOCODE:** GB LON  
**Country:** United Kingdom  
**Water Body:** North Sea; North Atlantic Ocean  
**Harbor Size:** Large  
**Harbor Type:** River (Basins)  
**GPS:** 51.5000, -0.0833

London Gateway, DP World's deep-water terminal on the Thames, passed 3 million TEU for the first time in 2025 – up around 52% year on year – putting the Port of London on course to become the UK's largest container port. Shipping on the tidal Thames has been overseen since 1909 by the Port of London Authority, under which DP World runs London Gateway and Forth Ports operates the multipurpose Tilbury. A £1 billion expansion is taking London Gateway from four to six all-electric 400-metre berths, with 2,700 metres of quay, 24 cranes and 3.5 million TEU of capacity; a second rail terminal opened in 2025. Tilbury adds more than 20 million tonnes a year of paper, forest products, steel, cars, dry bulk and general cargo. Across all terminals the port moves around 50 million tonnes of cargo annually, handling containers, reefer boxes and breakbulk. Hinterland links combine rail freight, the M25 orbital motorway and barge services that reach into central London along the river. Customs formalities run through HM Revenue & Customs, with full import and export procedures since Brexit. Shippers weighing alternatives often compare Felixstowe, until now the UK's biggest box port, or Southampton on the south coast.

## Transit Times & Routes

- [London → Shanghai](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-shanghai)
- [London → Shenzhen](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-shenzhen)
- [London → Guangzhou](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-guangzhou)
- [London → Hong Kong](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-hong-kong)
- [London → Tokyo](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-tokyo)
- [London → Busan](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/transit-time/london-busan)

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*Freight Academy — Seaport Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/london-port-gb-lon](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/seaports/london-port-gb-lon)*

*Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/london-port-gb-lon](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/seaports/en/london-port-gb-lon)*

*LLM-Summary (JSON): https://www.freight-academy.com/api/v1/seaports/london-port-gb-lon/llm-summary?lang=en*