Teesside Study to Test Driverless Freight Between Teesport and the Airport
Project TACTIC will spend six months assessing whether autonomous lorries could run inside Teesside Freeport, with customs checks done on the move.
- Cenex and iC4DTI have launched a six-month feasibility study.
- It will look at the Teesport to Teesside International Airport corridor.
- The project is part of the government’s Connected and Automated Mobility Pathfinder programme.
A six-month study has begun into whether a driverless freight service could operate within Teesside Freeport.
Project TACTIC, short for Teesside Autonomous Corridor for Trade Integration and Clearance, is being run by Cenex and the International Centre for Digital Trade and Innovation (iC4DTI). It will examine how connected and automated vehicles could run along the corridor between Teesport and Teesside International Airport.
Why Teesside
The area has been identified as a strong testbed because of its large, secure industrial sites, including Teesworks, Wilton International and the airport. These allow early off-road testing to establish how a service would work before any move onto public roads.
Checks on the move
The project aims to link real-time vehicle data with digital trade documents, so customs and other checks can be completed while goods are in transit. That could cut delays and make supply chains more reliable.
Cenex will lead the economic analysis, looking at costs, potential revenue and commercial viability. The study will also consider regulatory and safety questions, including vehicles operating without a driver. It forms part of the government’s Connected and Automated Mobility Pathfinder programme, which supports business cases for near-commercial deployment.
