Shipping to Port of London

The Port of London is that part of the River Thames in England lying between Teddington Lock and the defined boundary (since 1968, a line drawn from Foulness Point in Essex via Gunfleet Old Lighthouse to Warden Point in Kent) with the North Sea and including any associated docks. Once the largest port in the world, Port of London was the United Kingdom's largest port as of 2020. Usage is largely governed by the Port of London Authority ("PLA"), a public trust established in 1908; while mainly responsible for coordination and enforcement of activities it also has some minor operations of its own.

The Port of London can handle cruise liners, roll-on roll-off ferries and cargo of all types at the larger facilities in its eastern extent. As with many similar historic European ports, such as Antwerp and Rotterdam, many activities have steadily moved downstream towards the open sea as ships have grown larger and the land upriver taken over for other uses.

As a trust port, the Port of London Authority has no shareholders and operates for the benefit of customers and stakeholders now and in the future. The Port of London’s operations cover 95 miles of the River Thames, from Teddington to the North Sea. The Port of London works to keep commercial and leisure users safe, protect and enhance the environment, and promote the use of the river for trade and travel.

As the UK's largest port, the Port of London handles more than 45 million tonnes of cargo each year, employing more than 40,000 people and contributing over £3 billion to the economy annually.

The Port of London today comprises over 70 independently owned terminals and port facilities. These are mainly concentrated at Purfleet (with the world's largest margarine works), Thurrock, Tilbury (the Port of London’s current main container facility), London Gateway, Coryton and Canvey Island in Essex, Dartford and Northfleet in Kent, and Greenwich, Silvertown, Barking, Dagenham and Erith in Greater London.

The Port of London handles containers, timber, paper, vehicles, aggregates, crude oil, petroleum products, liquefied petroleum gas, coal, metals, grain and other dry and liquid bulk materials. With around 12,500 commercial shipping movements annually, the Port of London handles around 10% of the UK commercial shipping trade, and contributes £8.5 billion to the UK's economy.