The Port of Tyne handled a total of 8.1 million tonnes of cargo in 2013, its highest volume of cargo in 50 years, according to figures issued in February. This represented a 22 per cent increase on the previous year, with coal and wood pellet imports bringing in five million tonnes and one million tonnes respectively.
The only downside in the Port’s figures was that the number of imported vehicles handled through its three car terminals did dip slightly over the year compared to previously, but this was due to a fall-off in demand in the UK. In total, 8.1 million tonnes of cargo was handled on the Tyne during 2013, the largest volume since 1965.
A total of 625,000 passengers – a rise of four per cent – travelled through the port’s International Passenger Terminal at North Shields, including 64,000 passengers from the 32 cruise ships that visited the port, as well as the DFDS ferries that run daily to Amsterdam. RC
