TEESPORT operator PD Ports is making an investment of almost £10m to increase the volume of containers it can handle.

As part of its continued growth, £3.2m has been invested in three 24.6m tall rubber tyre gantry cranes (RTGs) which each weigh 141 tonnes and can lift containers weighing up to 40 tonnes and stack them five-high.

The new cranes join a four RTGs which have been operational since the expansion of Teesport Container Terminal 2 in 2011.

Manufactured by Liebherr Container Cranes at its factories in Ireland and Spain, they were transported in sections by sea.

To further increase capacity at Teesport an order worth more than £6m has also been placed with Liebherr for a ship to shore crane at Teesport to complement the two already in operation.

It will improve capacity as well as customer service by enabling a quicker turnaround of vessels.

Teesport has seen a steady growth in container volumes of 13 per cent year on year since 2007.

PD Ports, which owns and operates the North’s second largest container port, has also increased its capacity through a recent £35m redevelopment offering some 550 metres of deep water quay and providing one of the deepest water facilities in the UK.

David Robinson, PD Ports’ chief executive, said: “We’ve invested over £80m at Teesport over the past five years in developing, upgrading and enhancing capacity to meet the demands of our customers and position the Port as the northern gateway for containerised goods serving Northern UK markets.

“As Teesport continues to thrive in the container market, we must ensure the Port will have the right infrastructure and equipment to help provide shippers with more direct and efficient trade routes to northern markets.

“The addition of these cranes at Teesport provides a platform for further significant growth and ensures we continue to be a key driver and enabler of the Northern Powerhouse Strategy. Our continued investment in the Port will ensure it is fit for purpose to create new opportunities, attract inward investment and support sustainable growth across the North.”