Expansion Continues to Increase Containers Shipping Through Teesport

UK – Following works toward the end of last year to reconfigure its Hull port terminal PD Ports has started the next stage required toward doubling its throughput of shipping containers at Teesport with the completion of the ground works last month. The works, which began in January 2011, involved the complete reconstruction of more than five hectares of the container terminal area with heavy duty paving designed to withstand the increased loads from the container stacks and the four new rubber tyre gantry cranes (RTG’s).

Starting even before its acquisition by Canadian based asset management group Brookfield in late 2009 PD Ports has invested over £16 million as part of an overall £29 million project, which will expand the container terminal capacity from 235,000 to 450,000 TEU’s which the company says will position Teesport as the second largest container port in the north of the UK.

PD is to introduce a fast gate service in April, to reduce waiting times for containers moved from ship to warehouse, to further improve service to onsite customers including ASDA and Tesco and recently confirmed that the Clipper Logistics Group will open a purpose built distribution centre within the port hinterland where the extended facilities are due to open in Autumn this year.

The RTG cranes installed at Teesport in the push for more capacity represent the single biggest equipment investment at there since the container terminal opened in 2003 and David Robinson, Chief Executive of the PD Ports Group commented:

“We are very pleased with the progress so far. Operator training on the new RTGs was completed ahead of schedule and the cranes are already in full service at the terminal. We are also well advanced in testing and implementing a new terminal operating system, which remains on schedule to be operational this summer.”