London Gateway has taken a decisive step towards challenging Felixstowe’s long-standing dominance as the UK’s largest container port, following a standout performance in 2025 that appears to have reduced the gap between the two facilities.
According to reports, the Essex terminal moved beyond the 3m teu threshold last year for the first time in its history. This marked a dramatic rise of more than 50% compared with 2024, when volumes stood at roughly 1.9m teu, highlighting the pace at which the port has scaled up its operations.
The rapid growth, however, has tested the terminal’s resilience. Higher throughput put significant pressure on infrastructure and processes, leading to congestion and extended vessel turnaround times. Operational challenges intensified during June and July, when a combination of IT outages, power issues and rail disruptions caused major backlogs and lengthy delays.
Despite these setbacks, London Gateway capitalised on shifts in global shipping networks. The arrival of additional services – notably Asia–Europe loops under the Gemini Cooperation – delivered a substantial boost in traffic, much of it diverted from Felixstowe.
Felixstowe does not release official container throughput data, but market estimates suggest it handled around 3.6m teu in 2024. While volumes may have increased in 2025, the port lost out when Maersk transferred its Asia–North Europe Gemini calls to London Gateway, and MSC redirected one of its own services.
Southampton also recorded a strong performance, with throughput exceeding 2m teu. Collectively, DP World’s UK terminals processed more than 5m teu in a national container market estimated at slightly over 9m teu.
Looking ahead, London Gateway’s upward trajectory appears set to continue. A £1bn investment programme, which is set to complete before the end of the decade, includes the construction of two additional berths that should reinforce the port’s competitive standing over the longer term.