The London Thamesport site will see the construction of a new aggregate facility later in the year.

The Armitt Group, a shipping agent and break bulk specialist, will construct the new multimodal terminal for construction aggregates and has now signed a head of terms agreement with Hutchinson Port Holdings (HPH), the owner of the port.

It is expected that construction will being in the autumn and freight could start moving through the new construction in early 2017.

The facility will be known as Armitt Multimodal Terminal South and is the first in a planned three stage investment by The Armitt Group to develop similar sites in the north of the UK and the midlands over the course of the next three years.

Armitt Group Commercial Director, Nicholas Marshall, said that this is an excellent chance to open a new supply chain corridor service to Far Eastern and European markets and the facility will also be a key link in the company’s plans to develop a fully integrated supply chain throughout the UK.

He added: “As we are break bulk handling professionals, it will benefit our aggregate clients as we will be able to manage the whole supply chain on their behalf and Thamesport, with its excellent deep water, rail-connected and un-congested facility is an important link in that chain.”

The group also has plans to handle further breakbulk cargo from the port and is currently in discussions with the Hutchinson Port Holdings Group to secure a further area of up to eight acres to handle shipments of aggregates for consumption across the M25.

Armitt said that Thamesport was chosen because of the site’s excellent rail and road communication links along with its deep water berths.

In May, Armitt announced the construction of a 120,000 sq m multimodal terminal at the London Thamesport site, which is expected to begin handling cargo by the end of this year.