UK NORTH EAST\\\


Shadow Transport Sec hears issues at first hand


PD Ports welcomed Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Andy McDonald to Teesport in late June. As Member of Parliament for


Middlesbrough, Mr McDonald is a strong supporter of Teesport, which has seen over £1bn of


infrastructure investments in the last decade. The visit, hosted by PD Ports’


portcentric logistics director and former Road Haulage Association chairman, Jim French, was an opportunity to raise serious concerns about the future of


the logistics industry. Mr French highlighted the chronic shortage of drivers and the image crisis badly affecting the numbers of young people wanting a career in the industry. He said: “For the last four years we have aggressively pushed to


PD Ports takes armed forces pledge


PD Ports has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, a pledge to support ex-members of the armed forces find jobs and


enhance their employability skills once they leave military life.


The port operator and


logistics specialist says it has been a strong advocate of the value of employing former military workers brings to the business, with around 8% of its 1,200 workforce being service veterans and reservists. PD Ports’ human resources


director, Russ McCallion, said: “The wealth of transferable skills and attitude ex-service men and women bring to our business is exceptional. They are disciplined, decisive and determined individuals with a true team spirit, which adds real value to our business and the wider supply chain. I would encourage any business


Sunderland’s prospects


Liebherr’s cargo handling equipment is a familiar sight in ports around the world but for the municipally-owned port of Sunderland it is also an import traffic generator. The company, which has been


manufacturing cranes nearby on the banks of the River Wear since 1989, now regularly exports cranes from the port across the globe. The latest shipment was a large mobile crane destined for Chittagong in Bangladesh, and followed exports


to India,


Bulgaria and Germany earlier in the year. The port offers deep water


river berths and cargo handling facilities that includes heavy liſt cranage for project cargo shipments - including crane parts. Sunderland City Council has


invested in new concrete hard standing, warehousing and the restoration of the port’s rail link. The imminent opening of the Northern Spire will significantly


improve road access, says the Council. Port of Sunderland director,


Matthew Hunt, said: “The port is well placed to serve customers from across the globe and this is highlighted by our recent work with Liebherr. “The company is one of region’s most established


the


manufacturers and to have them export cranes directly from Port of Sunderland complements our recent investment and is testament to our commitment to making Sunderland the first port of call for companies looking to develop their presence overseas.” Managing director of Liebherr


Sunderland, Ralph Saelzer, added: “A sustained investment programme at the port is really starting to bear fruit and we are already beginning to reap the benefits, both as a business and a city.


“Not only is it welcomed by us in a business sense, but it is


Liebherr liſts


also great for the city and our employees. To be able to see the products they’ve worked so hard on set sail virtually from the factory is absolutely fantastic.” Sunderland reported a 13%


upliſt in tonnage passing over its quays last year compared to 2016, with total cargo throughput figures now standing at well over 800,000 tonnes. Work is about to start on the 150


hectare International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP), which the port hopes will help it to break the one million tonne milestone. Hunt concludes: “Sunderland is


a city on the up. The IAMP has the potential to be one of the region’s largest infrastructure projects and will provide a huge boost to not only the port but the regional economy as a whole. “The traction that the port is and the


gathering, continued


investment being made by the council, has provided a major boost to the city and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more people and businesses over the coming years.”


raise the visibility of the logistics industry amongst young people and demonstrate the many career


operating in the logistics sector to consider the potential of employing former military personnel. “With Europe’s largest


Garrison at Catterick only 30 miles away from our main operations at Teesport, we aim to help provide stable employment opportunities for veterans as they start to build a new life.” Middlesbrough logistics


firm AV Dawson is also an enthusiastic supporter of the scheme.


opportunities available to them spanning a broad range of job roles and skill sets. This led to the launch of the Tees Valley Logistics Academy run with our colleagues at Stockton Riverside College and supported by national charity Career Ready and Think Logistics; focussing on inspiring young people to explore the logistics sector as a viable and valuable career choice. “Despite road haulage


accounting for 76% of UK freight distribution and the industry as a whole contributing around £121bn to UK GDP, over 2.5 million


jobs,


supporting there


remains a distinct lack of visibility both within government and


Issue 6 2018 - Freight Business Journal


21


amongst the public as to the vital importance of the logistics industry to UK trade.” McDonald added: “I’ve been


hearing today about initiatives including the Logistics Academy and it’s abundantly clear that the industry and PD Ports, in particular, are really focused on the deficits in bringing people into the industry and making careers in logistics a realistic offer for people. “I’m excited about the I’ve been hearing


programmes


about and I think if people can see the opportunities the industry has available then they would be attracted to it. It’s a question then of retaining them in the industry and letting them progress their careers as they develop. “It’s a really exciting agenda but


it’s critical as the logistics sector is so absolutely fundamental to everything we do in this country. If we don’t address the shortage we’ve got a real problem, so it’s a question of urgency as well. Today has really sharpened by focus and I want to carry on the conversation.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32