P&O Ports names Gradon to head London Gateway project

P&O Ports names Gradon to head London Gateway project

   P&O Ports has named board director, Michael Gradon, as chief executive of its planned container and roll-on/roll-off terminal London Gateway.

   Gradon replaces Mike Seymour, who resumes his full-time position in the United States as P&O Ports’ regional director, Americas.

   Gradon is P&O Ports’ director, commercial and legal affairs as well as chairman of P&O Estates.

   In July, the British government conditionally approved the construction of the '1.5 billion ($2.76 billion) port and business park projects, located close to London in Thurrock, Essex.

   P&O expects the first container berths to be operational by the first half of 2008. The proposed London Gateway port will be capable of handling the largest deep-sea containerships. When fully developed, the port will have a capacity of 3.5 million TEUs a year and its ro/ro freight facility will be able to handle two vessels simultaneously.