PD Ports has welcomed one of the largest automotive vessel calls to Teesport in recent years, with 5,000 vehicles arriving from China as part of a major UK import operation.

The shipment includes vehicles from across the Chery Automotive portfolio, including Jaecoo and Chery models, alongside the first 1,300 Lepas plug-in hybrid cars to be imported into the UK market.

The vessel call demonstrates Teesport’s capability to handle high-volume automotive imports and reinforces its position as a strategic gateway for vehicle distribution across the north of England and beyond.

Teesport’s deep-water facilities, dedicated storage compounds and established handling expertise make it well placed to support vehicle manufacturers and importers looking for swift access to UK markets.

The port benefits from Teesside’s strong links to the A19 and A1 corridors, as well as key cross-Pennine routes, providing strong onward connectivity to dealer networks and consumers across the country.

The arrival also builds on Teesport’s long-standing experience in automotive logistics.

Over several decades, PD Ports has handled vehicle imports for a range of major manufacturers and, at its peak, managed more than 100,000 vehicles annually through the port.

Recent investments in storage areas and security infrastructure, combined with 24/7 security coverage provided by both port security teams and Teesport Harbour Police, means vehicles can be stored and managed safely and efficiently.

Paul Foreman, PD Ports’ chief executive officer, said: “This vessel call is a significant milestone for Teesport and demonstrates the important role the port can play in supporting the UK’s automotive supply chains.

“Handling 5,000 vehicles from a single vessel showcases both the scale of our infrastructure and the expertise of our teams.

“With deep-water access, established automotive handling facilities and excellent connections to major markets across the north of England, Teesport is ideally positioned to support vehicle import and logistics operations at scale.

“We’re pleased to welcome Chery to Teesport and hope this will be the first of many future calls as manufacturers continue to look for efficient, resilient and strategically located UK gateways.”

Catherine Zhu, logistics director of Omoda & Jaecoo & Chery UK, added: “The opening of this route to Teesport is of strategic importance to our UK operations.

“It will help relieve congestion at the southern and western ports, significantly improve delivery efficiency to our dealer networks across the north of England and provide robust logistics support for our future UK manufacturing ambitions.

“This is a strategically significant port development for Chery in the UK.”

Teesport benefits from lock-free access to the North Sea and deep-water berths capable of accommodating large vehicle carriers, alongside established RORO infrastructure.

The latest call further strengthens Teesport’s position as a strategic gateway, supporting manufacturers looking to serve growing consumer markets across the north of England, Scotland and the wider UK.