Fleete has opened the UK's largest dedicated electric charging hub for commercial vehicles at the Port of Tilbury, marking a major step forward in the decarbonisation of Britain's freight and logistics industry.
The new 5MW facility, officially unveiled on Friday, is equipped with 16 ultra-rapid chargers capable of powering up to 16 electric heavy goods vehicles simultaneously. It is the first in a planned nationwide network of shared charging hubs aimed at helping fleet operators transition to zero-emission transport without the need for costly depot upgrades.
Developed by Fleete in partnership with the Port of Tilbury and Thames Freeport, the project received £1 million in government support through the Thames Freeport Seed Capital Programme, alongside additional funding from the Department for Transport-backed Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme.
The charging hub sits at one of the country's busiest multimodal freight gateways and is expected to support the increasing number of electric HGVs operating through the port and along the A13 corridor into London. It will also provide infrastructure for major construction schemes including the Lower Thames Crossing project, where contractors are beginning to switch to electric fleets to cut emissions.
The site was formally opened by Sue Shinnick during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by industry representatives, project partners and fleet operators.
Speaking at the launch, Mayor Shinnick said the development demonstrated the impact of collaboration between industry, local government and Thames Freeport in driving cleaner transport solutions.
"This investment supports cleaner transport, improves air quality for our communities, and reinforces Thurrock's role in adopting practical, forward-looking low-carbon solutions,"
she said.
The facility uses a shared-user charging model, allowing multiple fleet operators to access high-capacity charging infrastructure without building dedicated facilities of their own. Industry leaders say the approach could help overcome key barriers to fleet electrification, including limited grid capacity, land availability and upfront infrastructure costs.
The hub includes six Siemens Flex 540kW chargers and 12 dispensers spread across three charging islands, each capable of future upgrades to Megawatt Charging System standard. An additional four charging points supplied by Power Electronics can currently deliver up to 270kW per vehicle, with capacity to increase to 360kW.
Chris Morrison described the opening as a landmark moment for both the company and the logistics sector as a whole.
"The Port of Tilbury hub shows what's possible when industry and government work together to deliver infrastructure at scale,"
he said.
"We're helping accelerate the transition to zero-emission commercial transport where it's needed most."
Transport minister Keir Mather said the investment formed part of the government's wider efforts to decarbonise road freight while supporting economic growth.
"Road freight is the backbone of our economy, keeping goods moving and businesses growing,"
he said.
"By supporting the sector to go electric, we're cutting emissions and backing the industry to thrive long into the future."
Port officials and business groups welcomed the development, describing it as a critical piece of infrastructure for the future of UK logistics.
David Webster said the site would help operators reduce emissions while maintaining efficient freight operations, while Ben Fletcher called the project "precisely what is needed" to encourage more operators — particularly smaller firms — to switch to electric fleets.
The project is also expected to support jobs and attract further investment into the Thames Freeport region as demand for sustainable freight infrastructure grows.
