AV Dawson has announced a £5 million (€5.9 million) investment in a new dry bulk rail terminal at the Port of Middlesbrough in the UK, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Teesside and creating additional capacity to support UK handlers, processors, importers and exporters.
As the owner of the largest independent rail freight facility in the North East, AV Dawson has made its latest investment to drive innovation across its 120-acre logistics hub in Middlesbrough and provide efficient, sustainable solutions for customers.
The family-run business, which owns and operates the Port of Middlesbrough on the River Tees, is expanding its multimodal logistics hub through the development of its fifth rail terminal.
The project will unlock valuable supply chain opportunities for North East freight businesses, enabling them to engage more easily with national and international clients.
Designed specifically for the dry bulk market, the new facility will expand the company’s rail freight capabilities, increasing capacity for customers and supporting the efficient movement of freight by road, rail and sea.
The facility will increase unloading speeds by 40% to 500 tonnes per hour, significantly boosting capacity and improving operational efficiency. The terminal will also feature five rail lines, with additional sidings feeding rail wagons into the new unloading pit and conveyor system.
Charlie Nettle, group managing director at AV Dawson, said: “For more than 85 years, we’ve invested in Teesside, continually evolving to meet our customers’ changing needs. This latest investment reflects our confidence in the region, our people and the future growth of rail logistics.
“Our fifth rail terminal strengthens our multimodal offering by expanding our presence in the dry bulk market and reinforces our commitment to delivering integrated logistics solutions across rail, land and sea.”

The project is being delivered alongside two other family-run businesses: Seymour Construction, based in Hartlepool, and Atherton Material Handling. Construction includes a new unloading pit, rail line, bespoke conveyor system and dedicated storage warehouse. A new concrete loading pad will provide customers with both indoor and outdoor storage options.

Charlie continued: “Rail has a vital role to play in the future of UK freight, and with the Government setting ambitious targets to increase rail freight by 75% by 2050, investments such as this are key to achieving that goal.

“With rail producing around 74% less carbon than road freight, we work closely with customers to help them reduce both emissions and costs through greater use of rail, while combining it with our own road haulage fleet to deliver seamless, integrated logistics solutions.”

Due for completion in spring 2027, the terminal will be able to handle commodities including fertilisers, aggregates, salt, industrial minerals and energy products, further strengthening the Port of Middlesbrough’s role in supporting Teesside’s industrial economy and connecting regional businesses with UK and international markets.