The ship was used to carry a range of different goods from various retailers which arrived on time. The arrival of which marks a ‘turning point’ for South Shields.

“This is the first time we have handled containers coming direct from China and it demonstrates that the Port can have a significant impact on easing current challenges of capacity being experienced within the UK shipping and logistics sector”, explained Richard Newton, Commercial Director for Logistics at the Port of Tyne.

The port’s location makes it ideal for customers who are seeking routes to market multimodal transportation options, including rail, road, onward shipping, and environmentally efficient, port-centric warehousing.

The Port of Tyne has therefore expanded to accommodate the changing supply chain landscape.

GB Railfreight (GBRf) recently opened an intermodal service from the Port of Tyne to strategic rail hubs in Yorkshire and the Midlands. These routes were introduced to help ease the pressures of increased customer demands on the global supply chain.

On the arrival of the Chinese vessel, Newton added: “Very importantly, it also means people are potentially able to get the goods they want more quickly.”