Multimillion pound biomass handling and storage project unveiled
December 14th 2009

The Port of Tyne and Drax Power have signed an agreement for the provision of handling and covered storage facilities for between 0.5 million and 1.4 million tonnes of biomass per annum, for an initial 10 year period.

The biomass will be used at the Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire. The Port of Tyne will be responsible for the unloading of vessels containing up to 75,000 tonnes of biomass, transfer to storage facilities and subsequent reloading to train for dispatch, all of which will occur on the south bank at the port’s operations in South Shields.

The bulk commodity store will be designed and constructed along the lines of stores commonly used in the food and feed industries. The store is designed as a transit facility with materials transferring through quickly. 


Biomass will be transported from the store to the rail loading bunker using conveyors and will then be loaded to trains for transport to the power station.

In other news, Tesco plans to tap into a 295 megawatt biomass power plant in Teesport to meet the energy needs for its import warehouse.

The power plant will be run by MGT Power and construction will begin next year.