Serving the Teesside Business Community | 15
The imposing Teesport 3 ship-toshore cranes. Centre is the latest £ 6m investment at the container terminal, designed to support the growth of the port’ s container volumes, servicing UK consumers and markets.
Jerry Hopkinson, chief operating officer and vice-chairman at PD Ports.
Senior PD Ports officials recently hosted prime minister Theresa May and Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen at Teesport, where they discussed the potential opportunities for free port status in recognition of Teesport’ s critical role in securing the region’ s economic potential.
“ Teesport provides the perfect platform to launch these ventures, with both its infrastructure and skilled people perfectly placed to drive national export activity.”
As a nation, and certainly as a region, we aren’ t just going to shut up shop on producing goods and services for export. We must be proactive in seeking new trade opportunities when we leave the EU.
Teesport provides the perfect platform to launch these ventures, with both its infrastructure and skilled people perfectly placed to drive national export activity.
In support of this endeavour, Rishi Sunak, MP for Richmond, has raised the concept of developing free port status in the region, essentially enabling raw materials and components to be imported, processed or manufactured and then exported as finished products exempt from taxes. Sunak’ s idea has great merit and would help secure the UK’ s first Free Trade Zone in the North-East, one which would strengthen Teesport’ s position as a strategic asset and provide the freedom to boost overseas trade, as well as the potential to create more jobs in the region’ s manufacturing sectors. It is an opportunity that we intend to vigorously pursue.
There will inevitably be challenges ahead for Teesport as Brexit will undoubtedly change the customs processes associated with trade flows. We have to be very careful that those processes are workable. The term‘ frictionless borders’ has often been coined of late. We need to collaboratively work towards achieving this – it’ s in our local, regional and national interest.
We hope exporters across the UK will look to Teesport as the template to follow post- Brexit – but ports alone cannot reduce the UK’ s trade deficit, which hit an eight-month high in August according to the Office for National Statistics.
As we look to our manufacturing industries to feed exports, there is a critical importance on transport infrastructure across the North-East and the country as a whole. It’ s paramount that road and rail links in particular are fit for purpose to support the transit of goods around the country. Infrastructure is the backbone of a strong economy and efficient transportation links are central to this.
A significant amount of work has already been carried out to raise the agenda surrounding these issues with Transport for North, the Department for Transport and Network Rail. Critical transport infrastructure upgrades were subsequently highlighted as a key priority for business growth in the Tees Valley Combined Authority’ s Strategic Economic Plan.
Looking ahead to a global outlook post- Brexit, ports are essential for a healthy export trade. Teesport is a prime example of a locality where world class infrastructure and a thriving manufacturing industry combine to create a strong local economy and the country’ s only consistent net exporting region.
Brexit provides an opportunity for Teesport to operate across a wider global platform. And as a region, we are open for business!
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According to PwC’ s UK Economic Outlook report( 2016)