View report page

TILBURY GRAIN TERMINAL
The Terminal, which has consistently achieved high throughputs since it commenced operations
in 1969, handled 1,780,000 tons of grain in 1972, which is an increase of over 20,000
tons on the previous year's tonnage.
CONTAINER TRAFFIC
The various container terminals at Tilbury continued to flourish during 1972.
The total number of container ship arrivals rose to 1,420 compared with 1,306 in 1971, but
as many of the shipping companies concerned brought into use larger vessels during the year,
container movements increased at a greater rate than the increase in the number of vessels dealt
with.
4 Berth. This berth which had been handling container and conventional cargoes from U.S.A. and
Canada on a "sole user" basis ceased operations as a container terminal in May. The shipping
line concerned in this trade discontinued conventional cargo carriage and only operated purpose
built container ships. In the first week in May the service was transferred to the "Multi user"
terminal at 41/43 Berths, and from that time until the end of the year 60 arrivals were dealt with.
Before leaving 4 Berth, 15 vessels had already been handled.
40 Berth which had been non operational since August, 1971, was re-opened in January when a
new short sea service to Zeebrugge was commenced. This new service produced 217 arrivals
during the year, and the berth also handled the bulk of the East German trade. In April, another
new line, this time large ocean going vessels, commenced operations from 40 Berth, trading to
the U.S.A., this service later in the year was extended to Canada, these two services produced a
total of 37 arrivals up to the end of the year.
In June yet another new service was introduced, this time small container vessels trading to
Scandanavia arriving once a week. By the end of the year 40 Berth alone, which forms part of the
"Multi User Complex" operated by the Port of London Authority handled well over 400 ships.
41-43 & 45 Berths. These three berths together with 40 Berth make up the P.L.A.'s Multi User
Container Complex at Tilbury, 45 Berth was developed during the year and brought into commission
in September at the time that the first vessel arrived to load for the new New Zealand
container trade.
ACTA/ANL's Holima refrigeration system at Tilbury where there are 12 units.
Reefers are moved into position by straddle carriers and stacked in double tiers,
stacking is based on a 20 ft. x 8 ft. x 8 ft. machinery compartment.
32