The new terminal offers an attractive alternative to offloading imports at Southampton or Felixtowe and then transporting them by road or rail to destinations in the north of England and Scotland.

The popularity of the region as a base for imports and distribution should also be enhanced by scheduled improvements to its road network.

Acting on the findings of a report commissioned by the Secretary of State, the Department for Transport has awarded statutory approval to the A1 Dishforth to Barton improvement scheme. This will see a 40 km section of the A1 widened to three lanes plus hard shoulder, and upgraded to motorway status.

As a vital link to other strategic distribution routes, including the M62 between Liverpool and Hull, this stretch of road carries, at 23%, an above average percentage of HGVs. Upgrading the road is designed to improve safety and congestion and to shorten journey times, all of which will have a positive effect on companies seeking to take advantage of the new opportunities offered by the Teesport expansion.

Andrew Gent, of Industrial Property specialists Gent Visick commented: “This is extremely exiting news for industry in the North East. The ability to serve the North’s population centres with deep sea container traffic through Teesport via an improved road network will lead to increased demand for distribution facilities. The cost savings and environmental impacts by not trunking containers 300 miles North will become evident very quickly.”