Teesport gets back on track with Hitachi railcar imports

The cars, each 26m long, are shipped from the Port of Tokuyama-Kudamatsu, in Japan, before being transported to a secure storage area at the Port, and taken to Hitachi’s Rail Vehicle Manufacturing Facility (RVMF) in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

Each vessel will carry up to 18 body shells per shipment.

Teesport suffered redundancies recently after next-door SSI Redcar Steelworks, which accounted for a large portion of its business, closed down in October last year.

However, owner PD Ports last week marked the completion of phase two of a £35m ($48m) quay reconstruction, and Teesport now has 550m of quay and water depths of 15m, adding 30 permanent jobs.

“To be an integral part of the Hitachi supply chain is a role we are very proud to undertake,” Geoff Lippitt, PD Ports’ business development director, commented. “The importance of Hitachi Rail in the wider economic context of the North-East is of tremendous significance and will provide a much needed boost to the region.”

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