Fishermen’s fears over huge new Thames port

A scheme to dredge huge areas of the Thames has begun in preparation for a planned £1.5 billion port and commercial park east of the capital.

It is hoped London Gateway Port and Logistics Park, which would be twice the size of the City, will create thousands of jobs.

But the dredging has been criticised by local fishermen and there are concerns over the environment and the fact that funding is only in place to build the port's foundations.

A "mega-dredger" will deepen the main fishing channel so the world's largest container ships can use it. They could then dock at the port, which would be at the former Shell Haven site near Thurrock in Essex.

Project chief executive Simon Moore said: "The biggest ships will be able to land their cargo as close as possible to the UK's largest point of consumption — London and the South-East."

But he admitted funding for the rest of the scheme was still not in place. "We are looking for tenants now for the logistics park and are hoping the world economy will pick up."

Fishermen said their fears were being ignored. Essex councillor Peter Wrexham said: "What'll happen when the dredge leaves a great big hole in the Thames and it's left for four or five years while the company works out its finances and then has to do it all again?

"They have been given carte blanche to kill as many fish as they like."

London Gateway, owned by port operator DP World, said it had invested £50 million in environmental protection and is offering a compensation scheme for fishermen.

Communities minister Shahid Malik said: "It will provide thousands of jobs across the region."