Container Terminal Operative

Port of Tilbury London; Tilbury; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Generous annual leave

Pension scheme with employer contrib

Wellbeing initiatives

Employee assistance programme

On-site parking

Cycle to work

Job summary

Port of Tilbury London Ltd is recruiting for a Container Terminal Operative to support landside and shipside operations at Tilbury. The role requires flexibility to work 5 days in a 7-day cycle, with early, late, night shifts and weekends.

You will drive straddle carriers, perform required cargo handling tasks, and follow safety policies while delivering cargo to vessels in the condition it was received. A full UK driving licence and UK work rights are essential.

Qualifications

• Full UK driving licence is required.
• UK working rights are essential.
• Flexibility to work different shifts is required.

Responsibilities

• Drive straddle carriers to move containers within the terminal/port.
• Perform manual handling, lashing and mooring.
• Deliver cargo to and from vessels in its delivered condition.
• Carry out cargo handling, housekeeping and basic maintenance.
• Understand and follow computer-delivered information.
• Uphold safety standards and operating procedures.
• Maintain shift start/finish time integrity.
• Care for company property and equipment.
• Carry out other ad-hoc duties as assigned by the line manager.

Skills

Full UK driving licence

Flexible shift patterns

Safety awareness

Manual handling

Job description

Job Description

Location: Port of Tilbury London Ltd, Leslie Ford House

Location: Port of Tilbury

Role Type: Full time / Permanent

Salary: £41,556 + £1,243 shift allowance + overtime + benefits

Overtime earning potential can add up to c.£9,000 in additional earnings

Shifts: 5 over 7 days - please note due to the nature of the work involved, we require flexibility from all operatives to work shifts which may include early, late, night-shifts and / or weekends.

At Forth Ports, we keep trade, logistics, and infrastructure moving. Every day, our teams support the flow of goods, materials, and services that businesses and communities rely on, helping to power economic growth across the UK and beyond. Our people are at the core of everything we do, and their expertise, commitment, and innovation drive our success.

With our commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2032 and Net Zero by 2042, we’re investing heavily in sustainable and digital technologies, including major growth in offshore wind and greener port operations. For you, this means joining a business that’s evolving, ambitious, and making a real difference.

We have a number of new opportunities to join our LCT team at the Port of Tilbury as a Container Terminal Operative.

About The Role

Key Responsibilities

• Drive straddle carriers to move containers within the confines of the Terminal / Port, as necessary, to service the landside and shipside operations
• Manual handling, lashing & mooring
• Deliver customers cargo to and from vessels in the condition which it was delivered to the terminal
• Cargo handling, housekeeping duties and basic maintenance
• Ability to understand and follow computer delivered information
• Upholding the highest standards of safety and adherence to operating policies and procedures
• Deliver to customers satisfactions
• Maintain shift, start and finish time integrity
• Ensure that care is taken of company property and equipment
• Carry out other ad-hoc duties assigned by the line manager

What We're Looking For

• Experience of working in ports and with plant machinery is preferred, but not necessary as full training will be given
• Candidates who are happy to work as part of a team and eager to make a positive impact to the overall port operations
• Full UK driving licence
• Full UK working rights
• Flexible approach to shift patterns

What Forth Ports Can Offer You

Here at Forth Ports our people are genuinely important to us, and creating a flexible, open and supportive working culture is something we are very proud of. In addition we offer:

• A competitive salary
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Defined contribution pension scheme with up to 16.5% joint contribution plus life assurance at 4x salary
• Health promotion events and employee wellbeing initiatives to support your physical and mental wellbeing
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing free, confidential 24/7 telephone support for you and your family
• On-site Occupational Health Team with access to professional support and referrals to services such as counselling, physiotherapy and free flu jabs
• An annual Christmas thank you gift of a complimentary turkey or meat-free alternative for all employees
• GymFlex health club memberships offering discounted access to gyms including Nuffield Health, PureGym, Anytime Fitness, The Gym Group, and selected local gyms
• Cycle to Work scheme to support affordable, sustainable commuting
• On-site free parking available for all employees
• Attractive family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity cover
• Employee discount platform providing savings on UK-wide restaurants, retail, car rentals, days out, and holidays

We value diversity and inclusivity, and we are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and will consider all applications for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.

We are proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant and recognise the value serving personnel, veterans, reservists, and military families bring to our organisation.

As a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, we are committed to ensuring that members of the Armed Forces community are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers because of their service.

We welcome applications from veterans, reservists, cadet force adult volunteers, and military spouses/partners, and we actively support flexible and inclusive recruitment practices.

About The Company

Over our 50 years of experience we have witnessed our ports grow to become important assets to support and deliver growth both for the UK and local economies. The growth impact has been achieved due to the continued investments in our infrastructure, making sure that our ports are able to continually develop their services and support the growth of many industries. Our people have played a significant role. They have delivered the highest quality of service through their expertise, loyalty and flexibility and, without them, we could not have built the strong reputation and the long term agreements with many customers that we have today.

Company Culture

Welcome to Forth Ports Careers. As a leading port operator, we employ over 1,100 people across our ports in Scotland and the Port of Tilbury in London. A career in a port business is very rewarding. There is real variety within each role and significant opportunities for promotion and career development. Don’t just take our word for it; view the “Some of our People” section and the video below to gain insight into the kinds of jobs our employees do, how they’ve grown with us, and what motivates them each day. The port business can be seen as a barometer for the economy and this drives us to be adaptable and fast paced as we identify new business opportunities.

Required Criteria

• Able to commit to flexible shift pattern including early, late & night shifts, as well as weekend work
• Ability to work comfortably at heights and in varying weather conditions
• Ability to perform manual handling tasks on a regular basis
• Full right to work in the UK
• Full driving licence, valid in the UK

Desired Criteria

• Experience of working in ports and with plant machinery is preferred, but not necessary as full training will be given

Closing Date Friday 25th September, 2026

Contract Type fulltime

Salary £42,798.00 Yearly