Business is booming at the South Shields-based Port of Tyne – with record numbers of travellers setting sail last year.

The site’s International Passenger Terminal was the port of call for 572,000 people using the daily Newcastle to Amsterdam route in 2014.

The port’s three car terminals – which handle Nissan exports, VW and Audi imports and transshipments – were also geared up for success, with 619,000 vehicles handled.

The logistics business area, which offers container terminal, warehousing and distribution services, generated a bumper £18million in turnover – the same as in 2013.

The encouraging figures were revealed as Andrew Moffat, the Port of Tyne’s chief executive officer, announced strong financial results for 2014.

The Port has continued to expand its infrastructure, with more than £11million in 2014 invested in new plant and machinery and initial expenditure on the £25million project to extend the Port’s main Riverside Quay by 125 metres to nearly one kilometre.

Turnover at the port was £71.5million – down 3% on the previous year’s record number – but profit has almost doubled to £10.2million.

Mr Moffat said: 'We will focus for the future on the continued support of our existing customers, growing our existing revenue streams, and continued diversification.

'We intend to work very hard in the coming years to ensure we can invest to the level needed to continue to bring further growth, jobs and economic success to the port and the region.'

Source: ShieldsGazette