Chancellor Announces Eight New Freeports in Budget Speech - Latest industry shipping news from the Handy Shipping Guide handyshippingguide.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from handyshippingguide.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
BBC News
Published
image captionDP World London Gateway opened in November 2013
Two major ports on the Thames Estuary have joined forces in a bid to became a new free port area which bosses claim could spark jobs and investment.
The Thames Freeport would include the ports of Tilbury and London Gateway, in Essex, as well Ford s Dagenham plant further west.
The government is looking to create 10 free ports across the UK and will announce its choices in March.
Free port status would allow the area to work outside normal customs rules.
Alan Shaoul from London Gateway owners DP World said it would enable trade with the rest of the world .