Visit to the Port of Tyne, the “Gateway to Northeast England”
2025/12/16
On Tuesday, 16 December, Jun Nakazawa, Counsellor at the Embassy of Japan in the United Kingdom, and Minori Ishii, Deputy Consul General at the Consulate General of Japan in Edinburgh, visited the Port of Tyne in Northeast England and were able to gain a first-hand understanding of its overwhelming scale and strategic role.
The Port of Tyne, located at the mouth of the River Tyne in Northeast England, is a major deep-water port serving as an export hub for many Japanese companies operating in the region, including Nissan, Komatsu, and Hitachi. It is also supporting one of the world's largest offshore wind power projects. Spanning a vast area of approximately 260 hectares, it has introduced the UK's first 5G network and is now evolving as a pioneering centre for digital technology and clean energy. As a multipurpose port supporting local employment and the economy, it serves as an important logistics and industrial infrastructure connecting the area with Europe and other countries around the world.
After receiving an overview briefing from the Port of Tyne Authority, the Counsellor and Deputy Consul General conducted an actual inspection of the port facilities. They received explanations of ongoing activities from NSA-UK and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, which are core partners supporting the export operations of vehicles produced at the Nissan Sunderland Plant based at the Port of Tyne.
In November 2025, the Port of Tyne and the North East Combined Authority signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hitachi on decarbonisation and economic growth. During their visit, the Counsellor and Deputy Consul General were also briefed on an outline of the roadmap to transform the Port of Tyne into a world-leading hub for clean energy and logistics using Hitachi's digital energy technologies.
The Port of Tyne, located at the mouth of the River Tyne in Northeast England, is a major deep-water port serving as an export hub for many Japanese companies operating in the region, including Nissan, Komatsu, and Hitachi. It is also supporting one of the world's largest offshore wind power projects. Spanning a vast area of approximately 260 hectares, it has introduced the UK's first 5G network and is now evolving as a pioneering centre for digital technology and clean energy. As a multipurpose port supporting local employment and the economy, it serves as an important logistics and industrial infrastructure connecting the area with Europe and other countries around the world.
After receiving an overview briefing from the Port of Tyne Authority, the Counsellor and Deputy Consul General conducted an actual inspection of the port facilities. They received explanations of ongoing activities from NSA-UK and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, which are core partners supporting the export operations of vehicles produced at the Nissan Sunderland Plant based at the Port of Tyne.
In November 2025, the Port of Tyne and the North East Combined Authority signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hitachi on decarbonisation and economic growth. During their visit, the Counsellor and Deputy Consul General were also briefed on an outline of the roadmap to transform the Port of Tyne into a world-leading hub for clean energy and logistics using Hitachi's digital energy technologies.