THE amount of cargo handled by one of the UK's biggest ports stayed stagnant this year - despite increases in steel exports, it was revealed yesterday.

PD Teesport said the overall volume which passed through last year was 53.8m tonnes - no increase on 2003, which saw an identical total.

Last year, the port overtook London to become the UK's second largest freight handling port.

But it is uncertain whether it will maintain that this year.

PD Ports plc, the parent group of PD Teesport, said it saw a 19.4 per cent increase in profits before tax in the third quarter of 2004.

While import volumes increased by over 0.75m tonnes to 19m, there was a fall in exports, down 0.75m tonnes to 34.8m - keeping the overall amount of cargo passing through the port at the same level.

But the port authority said the steady year-on-year results were good considering about 1m tonnes of crude oil did not pass through the port due to the planned summer closedown of an oil pipeline for maintenance.

Steel volumes increased by 250,000 tonnes to 1.3m tonnes. Import volumes of liquid chemicals and gases, destined for Teesside's thriving chemical industry, increased by 500,000 tonnes.

Overall container weight handled at the port showed a minor increase on the 2004 results, at just below 1.2m tonnes.

PD Teesport has had recent success in attracting deep sea traffic flows from global shipping lines.

David Robinson, managing director at PD Teesport said: "2004 was a satisfactory year for the port. We consolidated our progress in line with our long term strategy."

PD Ports plc was floated on the Alternative Investment Market last July and moved to the main stock exchange in December.

In 2003, Teesport handled only 2m tonnes less than the UK's leading port at Grimsby, and 2m tonnes more than London.

It is hoped the port's strategy of attracting more deep-sea traffic from the Far East will push up volumes again this year.

Cargo handled by Teesport includes rocksalt and potash from Boulby potash mine, in east Cleveland, iron ore, coal and steel both to and from Corus' Teesside plants, and products for the region's chemical industry.

The port deals with freight from the Far East as well as from the Baltic states, Amsterdam, Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Last year, PD Ports opened a container terminal on the River Tees, and set up its NorthWest train service, which has reduced the distance of lorry journeys by 700,000 miles.