Building work starts at boom port

The port has seen a boom in business

A £6m building project which will transform the Tyne Dock on South Tyneside gets underway.

It is part of a £10m investment which will see a massive new office and warehouse complex to expand the dock's distribution capacity.

The latest work will include the constructin of three industrial units, and is being funded by the authority, cash from Europe and One NorthEast.

It hopes its road, sea and rail access and high security will attract trade.

The booming port has seen a 60% increase in container traffic in the past five years.

The port shipped more than 2.3 million tonnes of cargo last year compared with 2.1 million tonnes in 2002.

Keith Wilson, managing director at Port of Tyne, said earlier: "The investment has been due to the overwhelming success of the port's supply chain management initiative - Port of Tyne Logistics Services - which offers customers a bespoke package combining road, rail and sea transport with specialist warehousing."