New bulk agri-hub opens at Port of Tilbury

A new bulk storage and handling facility, with floor space of around 14,000 square metres has been opened at the port of Tilbury’s Berth 43, with the first delivery now received on site.

It will be operated by long-term Forth Ports customer, Cefetra, one of the UK and Ireland’s major traders of grains and animal feed raw materials. The facility has the capacity to store up to 65,000 tonnes of imported animal feed products including soyabean meal and has been designed around direct vessel discharge operations.

Andrew Mackay, Chief Executive at Cefetra, commented:

“This new facility at Berth 43 is a significant step forward for our operations in the UK, giving us modern, purpose-built infrastructure to handle animal feed imports more efficiently and reliably for our customers.”

The development represents a £21 million investment in infrastructure at Tilbury and is expected to strengthen the port’s capacity to handle agricultural commodities.

The facility also builds on more than a decade of collaboration between Forth Ports and Cefetra at Tilbury, during which Cefetra has brought more than two million tonnes of product through the port.

Located on the River Thames, the Port of Tilbury provides Cefetra with access to customers across the South and East of England, supported by the port’s cargo-handling and logistics infrastructure.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Executive at Forth Ports, said:

“This new bulk storage and handling facility in Tilbury demonstrates our commitment to further investment across our port infrastructure across the UK and confirms the strong, long-lasting relationship we have with Cefetra.”

The first delivery received at the new facility also has a sustainability focus, with the product described as having a lower carbon footprint. The move forms part of efforts to support customers in the food industry in reducing emissions and progressing towards their sustainability targets.

The enduring partnership between Forth Ports and Cefetra has been one of long-term growth. The Port of Tilbury project only builds on the recent development of Cefetra’s agri-hub at the Port of Rosyth.

The opening at Berth 43 marks a milestone in the companies’ relationship, as both Cefetra and Forth Ports look ahead and plan for changing requirements across the agricultural supply chain.