DP World has brought four new large container cranes to the United Kingdom. Two of them are destined for London Gateway, two for Southampton.
The London cranes each weigh more than 2,000 tonnes and are just under 150 metres high. They will be installed at the new Berth 5. This berth is to be operated entirely electrically and is scheduled to go into operation in 2027.
The cranes can move two 40-foot containers simultaneously (tandem lifts) and are designed for very large container ships with up to 24,000 TEU.
London Gateway is being expanded as part of an expansion programme worth around one billion pounds. For shipping lines, this means more capacity in the British market. For freight forwarders, the key interest is whether this will change schedules, port selection, and hinterland transport.
More terminal capacity only helps, however, if road, rail, and warehouse space also keep pace. New cranes do not automatically eliminate every bottleneck.
Southampton is also receiving new large cranes (four units, approximately 60 million pounds investment in 2026). With this, DP World is strengthening both major UK locations simultaneously.