AV Dawson, owner and operator of the English Port of Middlesbrough, has announced an investment of five million pounds in the facility. This money will go to a new dry bulk rail terminal which should boost unloading capacity by 40%.
The future dry bulk terminal will feature a new unloading pit, rail line, bespoke conveyor system and dedicated storage warehouse. A new concrete loading pad will provide customers with both indoor and outdoor storage options, AV Dawson says.
The new facility will be the fifth rail terminal at the Port of Middlesbrough on the river Tees. It offers direct access to the East Coast Main Line, key motorways and maritime via direct rail-to-port transshipment.
“Our fifth rail terminal strengthens our multimodal offering by expanding our presence in the dry bulk market and reinforces our commitment to delivering integrated logistics solutions across road, rail, land and sea”, commented AV Dawson’s Group Managing Director Charlie Nettle.
40% speed boost
One in place, the dry bulk terminal is expected to increase unloading speeds by 40% to 500 tonnes per hour. The terminal will also feature five rail lines. These come with additional rail sidings to feed rail wagons into the new unloading pit and conveyor system, adds AV Dawson.
The project is due for completion in spring 2027. The dry bulk terminal will be able to handle commodities such as fertilisers, aggregates, salt, industrial minerals and energy products.
The Port of Middlesbrough already operates four market-specific rail terminals. Facilities include the Ayrton Rail Terminal, which also specialises in dry and bulk products. Other facilities include an intermodal park with a canopy-covered rail loading pad for dry loading operations, rail access to the port’s deepwater berths and a rail-linked automotive terminal connected directly to temperature and humidity-controlled distribution centres.
A dry bulk hub
Middlesbrough remains an industrialised city to this day. It has growing volumes of ferrous sulphate, polyhalite, petroleum coke, salt and other industrial materials being shipped through the port. AV Dawson said that it had handled 200,000 tonnes of dry bulk products in the twelve months preceding June.
It also said that it had been focusing more on the dry bulk segment. This is evidenced by the addition of a canopy enabling weatherproof rail operations. The 100-metre structure protects bulk materials from moisture and contamination, helping to maintain cargo quality while improving operational efficiency and turnaround times, AV Dawson explained.