Containers land at Tilbury, then need adapting
The Port of Tilbury, run by Forth Ports, handles container operations on the Thames, and its second extension, the 70 acre London Distribution Park, carries the UK's largest warehouse for Amazon. Tilbury2 is a roll-on roll-off terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers. London Gateway, also in Thurrock, adds a second container port to the borough. Several of those sites run on tight programmes, so a fabricator that quotes within a day is useful.
Where containers are always moving, modified units follow: site stores, welfare, plant rooms, battery and switchgear housings. We frame structural openings into the rails and fit doors, windows and roller shutters to your drawing, with coded welders and BS EN 1090 control on structural work. An itemised written quote comes back within 24 hours in the working week. Commercial and trade only. Invoices go against your PO, and multi-unit orders can be paid in stages.
Tilbury buyers and the containers they modify
- Port operators and terminal contractors Terminal and quayside contractors order modified units for tool stores, welfare, gate and inspection offices and plant rooms, with roller shutters or personnel doors framed into the rails.
- Warehouse and distribution tenants Large-box tenants around the London Distribution Park need yard stores, cage stores and canopy frames, supplied as a batch of matching units where required.
- Construction and civil contractors Construction teams on port-side works need site offices, plant stores and welfare units. They order cut-downs, stacked or linked units and repainted second-hand containers.
- Energy and utility sites Utility and power plant on and around the former Tilbury Power Station land needs battery, switchgear and generator housings. We build them as container conversions or as steel enclosures, to drawing.
Container jobs in volume
Port-side demand is for batches. Think of eight to twelve 20ft units each with a roller shutter and personnel door framed into the rails, or a row of stacked units linked into a two-storey office. A contractor might ask for a number of cut-down units, repaints in a RAL colour, or repairs to units that have taken damage in handling. For scale, around 50 units were built for one repeat energy-sector contractor, and 12 units went through the workshop in one week. Recent units were about £3,400 to £6,800 each net of VAT, depending on scope.
How our container work suits port contractors
In the workshop, openings are cut and framed into the rails, doors, windows and roller shutters are fitted, and units are linked, stacked, cut down, repaired and repainted. You can supply the containers or we source them. Capacity is around 8 units a week, so a batch of matching units moves through in sequence, and multi-unit orders can be paid in stages. See container modifications and structural modifications.
Thurrock Council is the local planning authority. Large port schemes have gone different routes: Tilbury2 was approved through a Development Consent Order, while Tilbury3 received outline consent from the council. A container placed as a store or office on land outside the port may still need consent depending on use and duration, so ask Thurrock Council's planning team before you order. We cannot give planning advice.
Steel enclosures and frames alongside the containers
Where a container is the wrong shape, we fabricate the steel directly: generator, acoustic, plant, battery and switchgear enclosures, skids, frames and lifting frames. Structural items are made under BS EN 1090 factory production control, UKCA or CE marked on request. Supply-only stairs, fire escapes, walkways and handrails are available for site contractors to fit. Finishes include raw, primed, RAL wet spray, powder coat and hot-dip galvanising.
The port sites and what sits around them
Tilbury's working land is mostly port sites rather than classic business parks. The main ones are the Port of Tilbury itself, the 70 acre London Distribution Park, Tilbury2 beside it, and the Tilbury3 expansion on former Tilbury Power Station land, which received outline consent from Thurrock Council in February 2026 for container operations, warehousing, industrial processing and vehicle storage. London Gateway, run by DP World, is the other large container site in Thurrock.
Why a Bedford workshop can cost Tilbury less
Cutting, welding, finishing and checking all happen in our own 12,000 sq ft workshop, so no stage is passed to a subcontractor with its own margin. Delivery to Tilbury goes through our logistics partners and shows as its own line on the quote. Put the two together and the total often comes in below a local fabricator, which is easy to check: send us the same drawing you've sent them.
Delivery and site visits in Tilbury
Tilbury is 75 road miles from Marston Moretaine, about 86 minutes by car via the M1, A414 and M25. We organise delivery to your yard through our logistics partners, with the date agreed beforehand. A loaded lorry takes longer, and the M25 can be slow. In-house conversion often makes our price lower than that of fabricators nearer the port.
Port-side and distribution sites have security gates, vehicle checks and booked delivery slots. Our engineers visit to measure up, so tell them the rules before we book the drop. Say what lifting is on site, and we agree the offload with you, with containers set on level, packed ground. Your installer or crane contractor positions the units. We do not install on site.
How a container job runs
- 01.Send what you have
A drawing, a marked-up sketch or a photo. Tell us how many units, what they're for and where they need to end up. Form, email or WhatsApp.
- 02.Itemised quote in 24 hours
Priced per unit, with the lead time confirmed in writing, so it drops straight into your order.
- 03.Order against your PO
Multi-unit orders are paid in stages: deposit, stage payment, balance on completion.
- 04.Units in
We can source the containers, or bring yours in to the workshop. If it helps, we send an engineer to your site first to see the job.
- 05.Built inside our unit
Cut, framed, welded and painted by coded welders in the 7,000 sq ft main shop, with the 5,000 sq ft second building for fabrication.
- 06.Checked and delivered
Checked against the drawing, then delivered to your site through our logistics partners. Progress photos by WhatsApp or email if you want them.
Work we take on
- Container modifications: conversions and modifications to drawing, single units or batches
- Structural openings: side openings, doors, roller shutters, linking and cut-downs
- Container repairs: panel, door and rail repairs and repaints for depots and fleets
- Steel enclosures: generator, acoustic, plant and battery housings
- Skids and frames: skids, machine bases, lifting frames and supports
- Commercial fabrication: fabrication to drawing, structural steelwork, one-offs and batches
- Stairs and fire escapes: supplied ready for your installer to fit
- Walkways and railings: handrails, platforms and ladders, supplied to fit
Frequently asked questions
Can you modify containers for a Tilbury port contractor?
Yes. We cut and frame openings into the rails, fit doors, windows and roller shutters, link or stack units, and cut down, repair and repaint. Send your drawing and the units' size and condition.
How long does a batch of containers take?
Capacity is around 8 units a week, and 12 have gone through in one week. The lead time depends on scope and is confirmed in writing with your itemised quote.
Can you supply the containers as well as modify them?
Yes. You can supply the units, or we source them. Recent modified units have cost about £3,400 to £6,800 each net of VAT, depending on scope.
Do you deliver converted containers to Tilbury?
Yes. We organise delivery from Marston Moretaine to your Tilbury yard through our logistics partners, 75 miles via the M1, A414 and M25. Engineers can visit first, and we agree the drop and offloading with you.
Do you install the converted containers at the Tilbury site?
No. DRST converts and finishes the containers and delivers them to the point agreed. Your crane contractor or installer places them on site and fixes anything that needs fixing there, to your own method statement.
Nearby areas
We also quote for firms in Basildon, Chelmsford, Enfield and Harlow. See every town on the areas we serve page.