Thames Estuary sailors have voiced their concerns over the building of a massive P&O container port at Shell Haven.

Representatives of the shipping giant attended a meeting at the Island Yacht Club on Canvey, to give a presentation and answer any questions about the effects of the planned container port.

Representatives from the yacht clubs in Southend and Castle Point were at the meeting to listen to what P&O had to say.

Vice-Commodore of the Island Yacht Club, Rodney Bye, said today: "Our main concerns were the increase in the volume of shipping in the estuary, an increase in siltation, especially of creeks, and further erosion of the foreshore.

"To a certain degree our fears were allayed but not completely."

P&O's chief port engineer Anthony Burdall told the meeting the number of huge super-carrier ships would be limited to one a week.

Published Thursday October 24, 2002

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