Forth Ports Limited, owner of the Port of Tilbury, on Monday confirmed the appointment of CMC Ltd as its IT partner for the newly acquired London Container Terminal (LCT).

The partnership will see Mumbai based CMC working with the UK based port group to implement a new and comprehensive Terminal Operating System; with CMC’s Marine and Container Handling (MACH) system at the core of the LCT operation. LCT will handle in excess of 500,000 containers this year, making it the third largest single container operation in the UK and one of the few UK ports servicing both deep sea and short sea customers.

This implementation will fully replace the core terminal operating systems currently in place at LCT and will bring improvements to both the planning and operational aspects of the terminal through the delivery of a world class, modern IT solution. The new system will link to the terminal's automatic gate processing system and will deliver efficiencies in handling and tracking containers both shipside and landside within LCT; as well as allowing for the future expansion of volumes at LCT.

Forth Ports secured 100% ownership of Tilbury Container Services Limited earlier this year as part of its investment programme at the London port. Tilbury Container Services has now been renamed London Container Terminal (Tilbury) Ltd and the Short Sea Container Terminal, previously operated by the Port of Tilbury, is now being integrated with the deep sea operation.

The integration of the short sea and deep sea businesses results in a unique market offering in the UK and, when combined with the planned London Distribution Park covering 65 acres adjacent to the port, confirms Tilbury as a key distribution and transhipment hub for London and the South East of England.

Commenting on CMC’s appointment, Stuart Wallace, Divisional Director, London Container Terminal, said, “We are delighted to be working with CMC Ltd again on this crucial IT system for London Container Terminal. Our terminal handles in excess of 500,000 containers each year and it is vital that our customers receive the very best service possible. This significant investment in the new system will further enhance our customers’ experience with us and further secure the Port of Tilbury as a major distribution and transhipment hub for London.”

“We have a long relationship with Forth Ports and are delighted that CMC has been chosen once again to implement its Marine Container Handling system (MACH) at the London Container Terminal. Ports and shipping is a sector for which CMC has developed many innovative IT solutions and the trust demonstrated in us by the Board and senior management of Forth Ports is testimony to that”, said Ramanathan Ramanan, Managing Director and CEO.

CMC has supplied Marine and Cargo Handling systems to Forth Ports since 2004. This includes the implementation of an Integrated Port Operational System (IPOS) in all its Scottish Ports, in the Port of Tilbury and at Nordic Forest Terminals. This system incorporates a container module at Scotland’s largest container terminal at the Port of Grangemouth.