Contractors are preparing to bid for a £30m landmark logistics project at London Gateway, where plans are advancing for a 12-storey automated container storage facility at the major Thames-side port.
The scheme, known as BOXBAY, will deliver a next-generation, high-density storage system for empty containers within the port’s existing MT Park area in Thurrock. Once complete, the structure will rise to around 55 metres in height, with a footprint of approximately 323 metres by 159 metres, making it one of the most technically ambitious industrial buildings of its kind in the UK.
Procurement for the project is now underway, with contractors invited to participate in a competitive flexible tender process. A shortlist of bidders will be selected before final submissions are assessed on a 60:40 split between price and quality, with contract award expected in July. Construction is scheduled to begin shortly afterwards, with a two-year delivery programme.
The project presents a complex engineering challenge, combining heavy civil engineering works with a substantial structural steel package. More than 15,000 tonnes of steelwork will be required, alongside around 50,000 sq m of cladding and a 46,500 sq m roof.
Groundworks will also be extensive, involving the installation of over 5,000 precast piles, each approximately 28 metres in length, to support a 1.2 metre deep reinforced concrete raft foundation. The contractor will additionally deliver a full suite of infrastructure works, including drainage, power, firewater systems, IT networks and heavy-duty external pavements, as well as associated ancillary structures.
A defining feature of the development will be its integration of advanced automation. The building will house 15 automated storage and retrieval machines operating along around 3km of rail, although the specialist systems themselves will be supplied separately.
One of the key challenges will be delivering the project within a fully operational port environment. This will require careful sequencing, logistics planning and strict safety management to ensure ongoing terminal operations are not disrupted.
The BOXBAY system is designed to significantly increase storage density and improve operational efficiency compared with traditional container stacking methods, helping to reduce congestion and maximise the use of available land.
The project forms part of wider ongoing investment at London Gateway, reinforcing its position as one of the UK’s most advanced logistics and port infrastructure hubs, and highlighting the growing role of high-specification, automated industrial facilities in modern supply chains.
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