Multi-million pound port plan powering ahead

Jan 15 2008 By The Journal

PLANS for a multi-million pound development at Teesport are powering ahead. PD Ports, which owns Teesport in Middlesbrough, recently announced there were now no objections to its £300m deep sea container terminal project, which is set to create 5,500 jobs.

Hopes are high that the scheme, known as the Northern Gateway Container Terminal, will receive the green light from the Government.

An objection from Hutchinson Ports, which owns South-East rivals Felixstowe and Harwich, would have meant the Teesside project would have had to go to a public inquiry.

But following discussions, Hutchinson’s objection has been removed. The company now firmly expects the Government’s Department for Transport (DfT) to give approval to the project, which could be completed by 2010.

The Northern Gateway gained unanimous planning approval from Redcar and Cleveland Council earlier this year.

If the new facility is rubber-stamped by the Government, it will significantly increase PD Ports’ cargo handling capacity from 300,000 to 1.8m 20ft equivalent units a year. The scheme would see the creation of 1,000m of new riverside quay. The terminal will have three berths capable of handling modern vessels carrying up to 9,000 teu of containers – 20ft equivalent units. It will create 500 new dock jobs and 5,000 logistics and other related posts. It will take two to three years from receipt of full and final approval for the new facility to be built. And the scheme has already won PD Ports a top award.

The company took the prestigious Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport award in the category of Transport, Policy and Planning.

The award was presented for the detailed planning process behind its proposals.

But PD Ports has also announced more plans for growth. It has submitted a planning application for a £50m import centre which could create more than 800 jobs.

The 1.2 million sq ft regional import centre for a major UK retailer would be developed at its Tees Dock site in Redcar. It would also create several hundred construction jobs.

PD Ports has submitted plans for the import centre development to Redcar and Cleveland Council. If given approval it’s hoped the first part of the import centre will open by autumn 2008.