ANNUAL REVIEW 2025
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
L V W
T Burke (left 14 March 2026)
K Dent
J Hartley MBE (from 24 July 2025)
J Prescot CBE, Deputy Chair
J Thomas
N Walker
J Wroe (from 24 September 2025)
EXECUTIVE
M H Beeton, Chief Executive Officer
M A Stoner, Chief Financial
A Nicholson MBE, Chief
SECRETARY L
STATEMENT BY THE CHAIR
I am delighted to report on a successful year for the Port, with strong performance and clear progress against our long-term ambitions. This is entirely down to the dedication and professionalism of my Port colleagues and I extend my sincere thanks to them all.
As a Trust Port, we serve a broad and diverse group of stakeholders – our customers, communities, the wider region, as well as future generations. Over the past year we have again demonstrated the strength of that purpose by placing collaboration, innovation and sustainability at the heart of everything we do. Partnership has been a defining theme. By working closely with our regional partners, we are helping to create the scale needed to attract investment, accelerate clean energy growth, strengthen supply chains and generate high-quality, long-term employment opportunities. A significant milestone was reached with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the North East Mayor and the region’s major transport and logistics hubs to create a North East Ports Partnership – an important step forward in aligning regional ambition and capability.
This collaborative approach will be increasingly important as the region responds to major national opportunities. The Crown Estate’s 6 GW North East seabed leasing announcement has injected significant momentum into the offshore wind sector, creating a focal point for regional growth. With our deep-water access, sector expertise and Investment Zone status, the Port is well positioned to support developers and play a central role in the next phase of the UK’s energy programme.
The 2050 Maritime Innovation Hub continued to flourish as a centre for collaboration and innovation. Venture Connect expanded in 2025, welcoming businesses from across the UK and internationally. Two previous participants, Low Carbon Materials and Enturi, have received significant recognition, including environmental awards and an Earthshot Prize nomination. Our Scale Up Britain Roadshow, delivered in partnership with the London Stock Exchange, supported high-growth businesses by
providing expert insights, funding advice and investor connections, with a particular focus on regional economic development and clean growth.
Sustainability is at the heart of our strategy. Over the last seven years, the Port has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 65% and we remain committed to becoming a Net Zero business by 2030. Our long-term partnership with Hitachi, signed in Tokyo during the North East Mayor’s trade mission to Japan, brings global expertise in mobility and energy to the River Tyne and is an important first step towards the development of a clean e-fuels hub. In parallel, we are playing a leading role in initiatives such as the Green North Sea Shipping Corridor, working with partners in the UK and the Netherlands to decarbonise maritime transport. Our work has been recognised nationally, with the Port receiving the British Ports Association Sustainability Award in 2025 and the Innovation Hub team receiving an Exceptional Contribution Award.
There have been a number of changes to our Board this year. We said farewell to Terry Burke, who stepped down at the conclusion of his term of office, and I thank him for his commitment and wise counsel. I was pleased to welcome two new board members, Judith Hartley MBE and James Wroe; their expertise in finance, global logistics and innovation has been a welcome addition to the team.
After nine years at the Port, my final term as Chair comes to an end this year. I thank all of our stakeholders for their ongoing support and engagement throughout my tenure and am grateful to my fellow Board members, both past and present, for their continuing guidance. I also want to express my gratitude once again to all of my Port colleagues; it has been a great privilege to work alongside you all. As I step down, I do so with great confidence in the Port’s direction, leadership and its long-term future.
LUCY ARMSTRONG Chair
BY WORKING CLOSELY WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS, WE ARE HELPING TO CREATE THE SCALE NEEDED TO ATTRACT INVESTMENT, ACCELERATE CLEAN ENERGY GROWTH, STRENGTHEN SUPPLY CHAINS AND GENERATE HIGH-QUALITY, LONG-TERM EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.
THE PORT WILL CONTINUE TO DELIVER ITS STRATEGY – BUILDING RESILIENCE, SERVING IMPORTANT MARKETS OF THE FUTURE, CREATING VALUE AND SUPPORTING A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR THE NORTH EAST.
STATEMENT BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Despite ongoing global economic uncertainty in 2025, the Port delivered its strongest financial results in a decade. Revenue increased by 5% to £70 million, EBITDA rose by 11% to £18.6 million, and adjusted profit before tax grew by 48% to £6.5 million.
Operational performance remained strong in bulks as well as automotive, with additional VW Audi imports secured through a long-term partnership reinforcing our market position. Our Cruise and Ferries operation also performed well and we welcomed landmark calls, including Fred Olsen’s Borealis and Ambassador Cruise Line’s Ambience, the largest vessel to undergo dry-docking on the River Tyne in over two decades.
Our role in enabling the UK’s energy transition continues to expand. Working with Cadeler, we are delighted to be supporting Ørsted’s marshalling operations for Hornsea 3 at Tyne Clean Energy Park, building on our work with RWE for the Sofia Offshore Wind Farm and Equinor’s Dogger Bank operations and maintenance base. These developments highlight the Port’s increasing importance in delivering national infrastructure and regional growth.
In support of this ambition, we have continued to invest at scale in infrastructure, skills and innovation. This year we committed £14 million in capital expenditure across power infrastructure, digital systems and estate development. Our purchase of the UK’s first fully electric foiling pilot vessel from Artemis Technologies, alongside continued progress in our ERP transformation, reflects our continued focus on efficiency, decarbonisation and digital innovation.
Innovation remains central to our day-to-day operations as well as our future growth. We have continued to deploy advanced technologies across the Port, supported by site-wide 5G, enabling safer operations, real-time data, connected equipment and more efficient decision-making. We are also making strong progress in automation and smart logistics, including autonomous container movements.
We are equally committed to investing in skills and developing talent for future maritime and clean energy careers. From hosting the first national Clean
Energy Jobs Fair to supporting apprentices and graduates through initiatives such as ‘Gradsprint’, as well as working with the Maritime Skills Commission and championing Women in STEM, we continue to create opportunity and deliver meaningful impact throughout the North East.
We have delivered significant progress across the business but, of course, our people remain at the heart of everything we do and I thank my Port colleagues for their continued support and commitment. The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues underpins all of our operations and we have continued to strengthen both our safety culture and performance. Our International Passenger Terminal reached 1,000 days without a health and safety incident – an outstanding achievement that reflects the commitment and vigilance of our teams.
Looking ahead, we have ambitious plans for further growth. At London International Shipping Week, we unveiled proposals for a £150 million expansion of Tyne Clean Energy Park. This nationally significant project could support up to 12,000 jobs and contribute £5.6 billion to the UK economy. Whilst I am sure that there will be challenges ahead, there is also significant opportunity and the Port will continue to deliver its strategy – building resilience, serving important markets of the future, creating value and supporting a more sustainable and prosperous future for the North East.
Finally, as Lucy has already mentioned she is stepping down as our Chair after nearly a decade. During her tenure, the Port has been transformed from a business shaped by its historical reliance on coal to one now firmly positioned at the forefront of the automotive and energy transition. On behalf of all our colleagues, I thank Lucy for her outstanding leadership and support; she leaves the Port in a strong position and well-placed for the next stage of its development.
MATTHEW BEETON Chief Executive Officer
£18.6M
Nearly
£600,000 COMMUNITY SUPPORT since its inception BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
£70M
ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION supporting 10,500 JOBS GVA of £766M
North East Ports partnership agreed. E-fuels Hub MoU with Hitachi Europe and NECA
UK'S FIRST ELECTRIC FOILING PILOT BOAT
THE PORT OF TYNE IS A TRUST PORT. WE’RE AN INDEPENDENT STATUTORY BODY, OPERATING ON A COMMERCIAL BASIS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF STAKEHOLDERS.
Our board, leadership team, and colleagues are custodians of the Port of Tyne, whose role is to achieve our purpose of conserving, maintaining, and future-proofing the Port for the benefit of generations to come.
Our mission is to create a vibrant and sustainable Port of Tyne, contributing to the growth of the economy and to hand over the Port in a better condition to future generations.
Our values describe how we will achieve our vision. They reflect the culture of our company and are the guiding principles of how we do business; they are to be Open, Excellent, Respectful, and Responsible.
Our vision is to be the UK’s safest, most progressive, customerfocused, and environmentally sustainable port, and a great place to work.
INNOVATION
THE NATIONAL MARITIME INNOVATION HUB CONTINUES TO PROVIDE A FOCAL POINT FOR INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICE AND REGIONAL EXCELLENCE.
Boosted by 5G connectivity, the Hub tackles shared challenges by harnessing advances in technology, research and development.
During the year, the Hub delivered numerous initiatives to drive innovation in the maritime sector and its wider supply chain, including hosting the fourth successful Maritime Innovation Week.
The Venture Connect accelerator – a six-month programme linking SMEs with maritime industry investors – has grown and has now supported a total of 42 businesses.
The Hub also continues to play an active role in the Port Innovators
Network, a global network of innovation hubs sharing best practice from across the world.
The Port has made excellent progress in advancing technology across its operations, from trialling automation and extending the use of the port-wide private 5G network for innovators to test their products and concepts before taking them to market.
We continue to work collaboratively on a range of industry initiatives with our partners including Hitachi Europe, BT, Ericsson, Connected Places Catapult and Buttimer Engineering, to solve industry problems.
COMMUNITY
WE INVEST AT LEAST 1% OF OUR PROFIT ANNUALLY IN REGISTERED CHARITIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANISATIONS DELIVERING POSITIVE CHANGE IN OUR REGION.
St Paul’s Community Partnership, Wallsend
In partnership with the Children’s Foundation, funding 120 baby boxes for first-time parents across the region.
Through our partnership with the Community Foundation North East, we work with grassroots organisations led by local people who know their communities and have the vision to change them for the better.
In 2025 we were proud to work with a diverse range of inspiring organisations, focused on supporting children and young people, improving health and well-being and strengthening local communities.
In partnership with the Children's Foundation, we also made the first business investment into the North East Mayor’s Fundamentals Fund, helping to ensure children in our region get the support they need from the very start. Our funding enabled the distribution of 120 additional baby boxes to first-time parents across the region. Each box supports early development and includes books, toys and essential items - helping families give their children the best possible start in life.
By investing in people and places, we’re enhancing the communities we serve and helping to build a thriving North East for generations to come.
IT equipment for Escape Intervention Services, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people in South Tyneside.
Non-contact boxing sessions at the Family Gateway Centre in Howdon.
A new children’s reading space at the Fenham Association of Residents’ Hub.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
THE PORT ACHIEVED AN 11.3% REDUCTION IN TOTAL INJURIES COMPARED WITH 2024
This progress is important as we pursue our Tyne 2050 strategy goal of achieving Zero Harm to employees.
Alongside the reduction in injury severity, colleague engagement with our reporting systems also improved. Total incident reporting increased by 3.7%, indicating growing confidence in using Evotix - a cloud-based environmental, health, safety and sustainability software platform - and reinforcing our proactive approach to learning from all events, not only those that result in injury.
Encouragingly, despite this rise in reporting, highlevel incidents decreased by 49%, demonstrating that early reporting and preventative action can contribute to safer outcomes.
Looking ahead, we will enhance our approach by embedding Human Factors Analysis into all incident investigations. This will provide deeper insights into behavioural and system-related contributors to incidents, enabling more targeted action. This is part ofour commitment to continuous improvement and to fostering a culture where safety, learning and wellbeing are prioritised across the organisation.
The Port holds the following certifications: ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 for all port operations, and ISO 9001 for bulk loading and unloading operations.
ENVIRONMENT
IN
2025, THE PORT OF TYNE CONTINUED TO MAKE STRONG PROGRESS ON ITS JOURNEY TO NET ZERO, DELIVERING A FURTHER 16% REDUCTION IN CARBON EMISSIONS AND BRINGING TOTAL EMISSIONS DOWN BY 65% SINCE 2019.
This sustained progress was driven by targeted investment, innovation and operational changes across the business.
This year, we purchased the UK’s first fully electric foiling pilot vessel. Once operational, this will significantly reduce emissions from marine operations and position us at the forefront of maritime innovation.
In 2025 the Port signed a major long-term partnership with Hitachi Europe and the North East Combined Authority, representing an important first step towards the development of an on-site e-fuels hub at the Port of Tyne. Our work was also recognised nationally, with the Port receiving the British Ports Association’s Sustainability Award for 2025.
FUTURE VISION
THE NEXT DECADE WILL SEE THE PORT OF TYNE EXPAND INTO GROWTH AREAS WHILE CEMENTING ITS POSITION IN CORE MARKETS SUCH AS AUTOMOTIVE AND OFFSHORE WIND.
Working with the North East Combined Authority (NECA), and through the North East Ports Partnership, we will unlock further opportunities along the River Tyne.
The Tyne Clean Energy Park continues to support the growing offshore wind sector, with the Tyne Dock Enterprise Park site on the south side progressing towards completion this year.
The Port is well positioned to capitalise on the region’s role in a fast-changing economic landscape.
The £150 million Northside redevelopment will strengthen our capabilities in offshore wind, advanced manufacturing and automotive, supporting NECA’s ambition to deliver more than 25,000 green jobs by 2035.
Meanwhile, The Crown Estate’s 6 GW seabed leasing announcement
in March 2026 has created a focal point for the North East offshore wind cluster and the Port is strategically positioned to support the next phase of the UK’s energy programme.
With our deep-water, sector expertise and Investment Zone status, we are ready to support developers’ future projects.
