Theme park developers have signed an agreement with operators of river services up the Thames to carry passengers between London and the resort in Kent.

London Resort Company Holdings said it hopes about 10% of the 15 million yearly visitors to the £3.2 billion attraction would arrive using the MBNA Thames Clippers.

The river services carried out a trial last week ferrying commuters from Gravesend Town Pier to Canary Wharf and Embankment.

It is considering whether it is viable to open the service full time.

Resort bosses said details would be finalised closer to the opening date – set for 2023 – but are likely to include a link between the park and Tilbury in Essex as well as with central London.

Developers have begun describing the theme park – set to be built on Swanscombe Peninsula between Gravesend and Dartford – as London Resort after pulling out of an agreement with Paramount Pictures to use its movies for rides in June.

Humphrey Percy, chief executive of London Resort Company Holdings, said: “This agreement with MBNA Thames Clippers is a crucial part of our strategy to make as much use of the River Thames as we can in order to provide access to the London Resort away from local roads.

“It follows our recent agreement with the Port of Tilbury and is further proof of our commitment to enhance local access routes to and from north Kent.”

Sean Collins, chief executive of MBNA Thames Clippers, said: “We want to transport as many visitors to the London Resort as possible to realise the huge benefits in terms of speed, comfort and frequency of travelling by river.

“Having recently agreed to run free test trials from Gravesend to offer journeys direct to central London in cooperation with Gravesham Council and seen overwhelming interest, we are delighted to play a crucial role in one of the biggest global entertainment resort projects in the world, where the commuter and leisure market can be served by a first class ferry service.”