DP World has taken delivery of four of Europe's largest quay cranes at its UK gateway ports, with the first pair arriving fully assembled at London Gateway on 25 September after a round-the-world voyage from Shanghai. The second pair are due to arrive at Southampton next week.

Each crane weighs more than 2,000 tonnes and stands nearly 150 metres high — taller than the London Eye and St Paul's Cathedral. The two new units delivered to Southampton this year, alongside the two that arrived in June, represent a £60 million investment and bring the terminal's total crane count to 16.

What can the new cranes handle?

The tandem-lift units can move two 40ft containers in a single hoist, putting them within reach of 24,000 TEU megaships currently deployed on Asia-Europe and trans-Pacific rotations. Two further cranes are scheduled for London Gateway's all-electric Berth 5 in the coming months, ahead of that facility's planned 2027 operational start.

How big is the commercial footprint?

DP World's combined UK terminals handled more than 5 million TEU in 2025 — close to half the UK national total of 10 million TEU. London Gateway alone posted a record 3 million TEU, a 50% jump on the previous year. The two operations together now hold a 46% share of UK containerised trade, a concentration that gives the operator significant leverage on UK import flows.

What does the £1 billion expansion deliver?

The London Gateway programme adds two all-electric berths — taking the site to six in operation — alongside a second rail terminal. DP World expects the completed facility to overtake Felixstowe as Britain's largest container port before the end of the decade, anchoring the Thames estuary for deepsea Asia, Middle East and Americas services routed through Southampton.

For shippers and forwarders, the practical upshot is reduced berth waiting time at peak call windows and a wider slot inventory for megaship services, particularly on trades that have historically called at multiple UK ports to split boxes.

What do operators and politicians say?

Kris Adams, DP World CEO UK Ports & Terminals, framed the delivery as a productivity play for British trade. "Trade powers our growth and prosperity, so the UK needs world-class infrastructure capable of handling the demands of maritime trade," he said. "These new quay cranes represent another major investment in that infrastructure, which is boosting UK productivity, employment and national income."

Satvir Kaur, MP for Southampton Test, welcomed the second pair due next week: "This welcome investment helps further cement our position as one of the UK's major centres of international trade... supporting UK exports, ensuring access to global markets, and delivering good local jobs for our communities."

Robin Mortimer, chief executive of the Port of London Authority, pointed to the electric drivetrain on the new units as evidence that capacity growth can align with Net Zero targets on the tidal Thames. James McMurdock, MP for South Basildon and East Thurrock, linked the investment to local employment and the next phase of Berth 5.

What is the broader economic case?

A new DP World report puts the London Gateway port and logistics park's economic contribution at £799 million in UK GDP and 10,500 jobs supported across the wider economy. The figures will feature in DP World's pitch to government as the operator continues to lobby for planning consent and grid connections tied to the £1 billion programme.

What comes next?

With Berth 5 set to open in 2027 and two further cranes bound for London Gateway before year-end, DP World's UK terminals are positioning for another step-change in throughput just as liner alliances reshuffle Asia-Europe port rotations and the next generation of 24,000-plus TEU newbuilds enters service.