From April to June, P&O Ferries carried 58,195 freight units between Zeebrugge and Tilbury - the highest quarterly total in the nine year history of the route.

The figure is up from 50,378 in the same quarter in 2015.

Janette Bell, Chief Commercial Officer at P&O Ferries, said: "Continental exporters increasingly see our Zeebrugge-Tilbury route as a fast and reliable way of delivering goods as close as possible to the vital consumer markets in London and the South East of England."

"We are making a major investment in our expanded terminal and rail infrastructure at Zeebrugge, meaning that it is easier, faster and more cost effective than ever for goods to arrive by train from all parts of the continent and be transported to Tilbury on one of our ships."

Tilbury is London's major port and is strategically located to serve the entire South East of England, with 18 million people living within 75 miles.

P&O Ferries has two ro-ro ships serving Zeebrugge-Tilbury, NORSKY and NORSTREAM, with the main items carried including wine, mineral water, detergents, consumer goods and motor cars from a number of major European manufacturers.