The Environment Agency’s existing Tilbury Barrier is now 35 years old and has already passed its designed maximum number of launches, due to increased frequency of events, despite being originally designed to last until 2032. The barrier has had a number of modifications and emergency works carried out to keep it functioning, with several breakdowns occurring with no warning of failure. The Port of Tilbury is now planning the replacement of their lock gates, and the opportunity has arisen for the Environment Agency to partner with the Port and have the new outer lock gates function both as flood defence and as impoundment gates to the Port basin.

The Port will operate and maintain the new lock gates both in normal port operation and during the flood defence function. The existing flood defence barrier, operated and maintained by the Environment Agency will be decommissioned following the commissioning and proving period of the new flood defence barrier.

A new, separate barrier would require works further out of the port entrance, into the estuarine mud, requiring alterations to the shipping training wall, significant ground works, and difficulties working around shipping movements. There is no room to construct a new barrier similar to the existing barrier, and major modifications and replacement of major structure elements, would render the barrier inoperable for a large amount of time, with some sections weighing 200 plus tons.