Fuelling growth through investment, innovation, and supporting our customers’ spirit of can-do

The country’s growth goes hand in hand with the growth of business through the Port of London.

That is because ports are the front line for growth, bringing in the building materials, fuels and goods we need, while connecting us to and from markets around the world.

As the UK’s biggest port we see around 1 million tonnes of cargo each week, accommodate the biggest ships from across the globe, and also operate as the country’s busiest inland waterway. That is why the Port of London, and our customers, are essential for turning the ambition of growth into a reality.

This London International Shipping Week, we are delighted to welcome the world’s senior leaders in shipping and maritime to showcase how the UK’s number one port is fuelling growth through investment, innovation, and by supporting our customers’ spirit of can-do.

Investment

We’re investing to make the Port of London the best place to trade. As a trust port, we reinvest all the money we make back into the port, the river, and the communities who live and work along it. From delivering a world-class vessel management and communications systems, to mapping and dredging the riverbed enabling access for the world’s largest ships; from providing highly skilled pilots, to unlocking the full value of assets by recommissioning dormant wharves: we invest to deliver the skills, technology and logistics needed to attract and enable growth and maximise productivity.

Innovation

So much of future growth will be built on innovation. To that end, we are creating the environment and opportunities to encourage our customers’ innovation across the Port of London. We are developing plans to be a leading force in supporting biodiversity that facilitates the sustainability of housing and infrastructure developments, partnering on efforts to support the opening of London’s first new boatyard in a century, and have reactivated Peruvian, Plaistow and Royal Primrose Wharves with Rippleway Wharf due to open in March 2026.

Supporting our customers’ spirit of can-do

We provide high-quality services to make things easier for our customers – current and future – to meet their ambitions. That includes our actively seeking and supporting new opportunities, opening the river to enable low carbon last mile deliveries, and investing in green infrastructure to support the latest evolutions in shipping. We will actively support business opportunities along the tidal Thames and create the best conditions for our customers to build their own sustainable growth.

We are excited for the Port of London’s future and pleased to be able to share it with guests visiting as part of London International Shipping Week!  

-- Steven Lockwood, PLA Chief Financial Officer