The Department for Transport (DfT) has declined to information it holds on what facilities Cosco Shipping has in the UK, a firm which is accused by US officials of enabling Beijing to spy on US military communications.
Cosco is owned by the Chinese government and is a state enterprise. Its full name is China Cosco Shipping Corporation Limited.
Details Cosco collecting intelligence on military communications in countries including the US was reported by the Reuters news agency in September, which cited two senior US Government officials.
Using the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, NCE asked the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) for any documents that show which UK ports the company has a physical presence at, such as warehouses or other facilities.
In a response, the DfT said: “The Department holds information that is relevant to your request, but it is exempt from disclosure.
“The exemption that applies is section 27(1)(a) and 27(1)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 because release of the information would likely harm UK interests.”
Cosco is open operating in the UK and lists a port office at Felixstowe on its website, alongside a head office, warehouses and a construction yard in Essex.
In May 2024, in a post on the website of logistics event Multimodal, it was announced that “Cosco Shipping Crystal Logistics (UK) Co., Ltd., the long-established logistics subsidiary of Cosco Shipping (UK) Co., Ltd” had opened “a new 11,000sqm flagship warehouse in the London Gateway Freeport.”
The announcement added that the company had “actively implemented the strategic deployment of Cosco Shipping Europe, seized market opportunities, and […] brought into play the company’s advantages.
“Cosco Shipping UK has been engaged in container ship owning in Britain and in liner agency, warehousing, distribution, customs clearance, and, increasingly, in supply chain management, playing a positive role in serving British enterprises and promoting China-UK economic and trade cooperation.”
DP World now runs the London Gateway Logistics Park, which is located within the Thames Freeport. On its website, DP World says the park is “the UK’s only operational port-centric freeport spanning 224ha”.
The park neighbours the operational port.
On 7 October, Reuters further reported that the German government had blocked the sale of a logistics firm called Zippel to Cosco over security concerns.
The DfT, Cosco Shipping and DP World were approached for .
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