Chery has opened a new vehicle import route through Teesport to improve delivery efficiency for its dealer networks across northern England.
The first shipment brought 5,000 vehicles from China, making it one of the port’s largest automotive vessel calls in recent years. Its cargo included Chery and Jaecoo models, alongside the first 1,300 Lepas plug-in hybrids imported into the UK.
Using Teesport will give the brands an additional entry point into Britain and support more efficient distribution to retailers across northern England, Scotland and the wider UK.
Its location provides direct links to the A19 and A1 corridors and key cross-Pennine routes. This should shorten the onward journey for vehicles destined for many northern dealerships, helping improve stock availability and reduce the risk of delays within the supply chain.
Catherine Zhu, logistics director of Omoda & Jaecoo & Chery UK, said: “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.”
Teesport offers lock-free access to the North Sea, deep-water berths capable of accommodating large vehicle carriers and established roll-on, roll-off infrastructure.
Dedicated storage compounds give Chery greater flexibility over the arrival, holding and phased distribution of vehicles to its dealer network.
PD Ports has handled automotive imports for several manufacturers over recent decades and previously managed more than 100,000 vehicles a year through Teesport.
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.”
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