LOGISTICS
Wide berth – the Adelheid-S , measuring 222.5m in length and 32.2m in width , was the largest containership to visit Teesport when it docked this summer .
Ceremony – special guests officially mark the opening of the £ 9.2m bulks handling facility , including ( left to right ) Steve Adamson ( PD Ports ), Michael Parker ( PD Ports ), Frans Calje ( PD Ports ), Will Watt ( Glencore ), Shailesh Pujara ( Glencore ), James Maw ( Glencore ), Nick Burchell Glencore ) and Mark Pearson ( PD Ports ).
the Teesport Bulks Terminal .
“ The Covid-19 crisis has truly highlighted the importance of the global supply chain to our region ’ s economy and , as one of the UK ’ s major pieces of infrastructure , we have and will continue to operate throughout this pandemic and beyond ,” said Frans .
“ Thanks to an ongoing journey of diversification , we have been able to rise , almost symbolically , from our own ashes into something that is now far larger in 2020 than it ever was before .”
Speaking on future prosperity for the region , Frans also explained how positive collaboration and young people development will be key in ensuring that the Tees Valley continues to attract large-scale investments and business opportunities .
“ The recent rebranding of the Teesworks site , housing 4,500 acres of developable land with direct connections to Teesport , will be an enticing asset for the region ,” said Frans .
“ PD Ports will work in tandem with Teesworks to really regenerate the land bank that sits around us to repurpose it once again for further diversification , for different activities . All that will contribute towards the prosperity of the Tees Valley .
“ This project is principally about repurposing the
steelworks , and possibly developing offshore wind capabilities , where we all know that massive development is going to happen in the next decade – we want to be part of that and we will work closely with Teesworks to make it happen .”
Another key component in ensuring the region continues to rebuild post Covid-19 will be addressing the skills gap and continuing to encourage young people to pursue careers in the industry , says Frans .
“ At PD Ports we pride ourselves on our ability to attract , retain and develop talent ,” he added .
“ A real priority for us as we emerge from this situation is showing people that there are jobs available with PD Ports and that those jobs are desirable and , most importantly , achievable .
“ As well as continuing our work with the High Tide Foundation , Tees Valley Logistics Academy , Teesside University and Stockton Riverside College , we will also be looking to double the number of apprentices we hire in comparison to previous years .
“ We see apprentices as the lifeblood of our business , vital building blocks and important elements for future growth .
“ This year , we will be looking to hire ten engineering apprentices compared to five in 2019 , as well as well as another 15 across a variety of roles within PD Ports .”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 87