11 May 2011 Last updated at 13:26 ET

Tyneside's Port of Tyne report record profit

Staff at the port will receive a share of the £45.5m profits

Workers at one of the UK's major deep sea ports will benefit after profits almost doubled in 2010.

Turnover at the Port of Tyne reached £45.5m and bosses say its 450 workers will now receive a share.

A port spokesperson said bulk cargoes and container traffic had played a large part in the improved figures.

The port was used to bring the first of Nissan's electric cars, the Leaf, into the north-east of England from Japan in February.

Each of the port's workers will be paid an extra 2% of their salary as a bonus for this year.

Its level of earnings were up by 45% on 2009.

Port of Tyne's Andrew Moffat said: "Increased activity levels has led to our doubling in profits.

"I think it's only right in this day and age that we are able to share in that performance."

A study by independent consultancy firm ARUP in 2010, said the port was worth £421m to the economy of the north-east of England.