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Port of Middlesbrough expansion boosts rail links

AV Dawson AVD-Cobra.jpg
The UK’s port of Middlesborough has acquired an eight-acre dry bulk handling terminal, expanding its footprint and service offering.

AV Dawson, owner of the port, has acquired Cobra Middlesborough. Cobra runs a dry bulk handling terminal which has processing and packing facilities mainly focused around salt for animal feed and road gritting, handling thousands of tonnes of the commodity every year.

Cobra also receives, screens and bags polyhalite which is used as a fertiliser in the agriculture sector domestically and in export markets.

The Cobra site is adjacent to the Port of Middlesbrough and comes with rail infrastructure to boost the port’s connectivity. The acquisition follows the 2015 deal with Network Rail to control of the Middlesbrough Goods Yard.

Gary Dawson, AV Dawson managing director said: “We have worked closely with [Cobra] for many years, handling the import and export of salt through our port facility and supporting their rail logistics. Bringing both ours and their operations together, within one business, enables us to provide job security to existing staff while delivering greater efficiencies for our customers.

“We recognise that the site requires some significant investment, but this actually fits perfectly with our strengths and our strategy to invest, develop and expand our site.   

“This acquisition is also strategically important for our wider business because of its excellent rail connectivity. We are working with more and more of our customers to help them identify opportunities to transition from road to rail, so we need to ensure we have the capacity to accommodate their requirements,” said Dawson.

The added rail infrastructure will aid in decarbonising transportation work by moving volumes from road to rail, added Dawson.