Ports operator DP World is poised to expand its vast London Gateway container terminal in Essex now that political uncertainty is in the rear-view mirror, its chief ­executive said.

The firm is poised to award a major contract to build at least one new container shipping berth, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem said – adding to the three existing ones at the Thurrock site, which has capacity for six.

DP World has a network of more than 80 terminals around the world, handling 15pc of the world’s container shipping traffic.

It has invested over £1.5bn already in the UK, including the London Gateway, which first opened in 2010. Mr Sulayem delayed the expansion plans last autumn. He said that firms had been reluctant to bid for the contract before the Brexit impasse was resolved, “but now it is OK”.

“Freeports in the world today are an engine of development. The biggest problem for business is changes in government policy, but with freeports or a special economic zone, those risks are removed.”

A fourth berth would allow the Gateway to handle around 3.5m containers a year, up from around 2m, and taking it within range of Felixstowe, the UK’s largest container port.

UK firms are in the running for the contract, which is at the tender stage. Mr ­Sulayem said: “I am sure they will start this year.”

The ports chief also gave strong support for Boris Johnson’s policy of establishing 10 new low tax, low regulation free ports as a “benefit” of leaving the EU.

He said: “It was music to my ears when I heard it.”

“The ports chief also gave strong support for Boris Johnson’s policy of establishing 10 new low tax, low regulation free ports as a ‘benefit’ of leaving the EU”

Legislation allowing free ports lapsed in 2012 and the EU has opposed them because of fears over state-backed competition with conventional ports.

But Mr Sulayem said: “Freeports in the world today are an engine of development. The biggest problem for business is changes in government policy, but with freeports or a special economic zone, those risks are removed.”

Source: The Telegraph

The Queen has today given the Brexit Bill Royal Assent, finally passing the UK’s withdrawal into law.

Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans announced the news this afternoon in the House of Commons.

Boris Johnson has signed the Brexit withdrawal agreement in Downing Street.

The prime minister hailed a “fantastic moment” for the country after he put his name to the historic agreement, which paves the way for the UK’s exit from the European Union next Friday.

He said he hoped it would “bring to an end far too many years of argument and division”.

Earlier on Friday, European leaders signed the document in Brussels, before it was transported to London by train.

The signings mark another step in the ratification process, following Parliament’s approval of the Brexit bill earlier this week. The European Parliament will vote on the agreement on 29 January.

Downing Street officials said the PM marked the document with a Parker fountain pen, as is traditional for ceremonial signings in No 10.

It was witnessed by EU and Foreign Office officials, including the PM’s Chief Negotiator David Frost, and Downing Street staff.

“The signing is a fantastic moment, which finally delivers the result of the 2016 referendum and brings to an end far too many years of argument and division,” Mr Johnson said.

“We can now move forward as one country – with a government focused upon delivering better public services, greater opportunity and unleashing the potential of every corner of our brilliant UK, while building a strong new relationship with the EU as friends and sovereign equals.”

Earlier on Friday, the document crossed the channel on a Eurostar train, having been signed in Brussels by the European Council’s president Charles Michel and the European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.

The UK will keep a copy of the agreement while the original will return to Brussels, where it will be stored in an archive along with other historic international agreements.

Next week’s European Parliament vote is seen as all but a formality, after it was backed by the parliament’s constitutional affairs committee on Thursday.

Mrs von der Leyen and other senior EU figures are sceptical about the UK government’s plan to negotiate a comprehensive deal on future relations before the end of 2020. They believe the timetable for that is too tight.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson is upbeat, insisting the UK can now move forward after years of wrangling over Brexit.

Mr Michel, the former Belgian Prime Minister who chairs EU summits, said in a tweet: “Things will inevitably change but our friendship will remain. We start a new chapter as partners and allies.”