Shipping agent and break bulk specialist The Armitt Group is building a new multimodal terminal for construction aggregates at London Thamesport later this year.

The Armitt Group has signed a heads of terms agreement with the port’s owner, Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH). Construction is expected to start in the autumn and freight could start moving through the new facility early next year.

Armitt Multimodal Terminal South, as it will be known, is the first in a planned three-stage investment by The Armitt Group to develop similar facilities in the midlands and north of the UK within the next three years.

Commercial director Nicholas Marshall, at the Armitt Group, said: “We see this as a great opportunity to open up a new supply chain corridor to service European and Far Eastern markets, and it is a crucial link in our plans to develop a fully integrated supply chain across the UK. 

“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,” he added.

Armitt also has plans to handle additional breakbulk cargo from the port and is in talks with Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH) Group to secure an additional area of up to eight acres to handle shipments of aggregates for consumption within the M25.

Thamesport was chosen, said Armitt, because of its deep-water berths and its road and rail communication links.