A facility for testing new technology that can accelerate and improve global trade is due to open in Teesside, UK.
Located at Teesside International Airport, the Teesside Digital Trade Testbed is a pioneering facility aiming to transform global trade and is the eighth test site to join CAM Testbed UK, a global hub for connected and self-driving vehicle innovation.
Logistics represents one of the most promising early market opportunities for those developing connected and automated mobility (CAM) solutions and by focusing heavily on this sector, the Teesside facility will seek to play a key role in helping the UK strengthen its position as a global leader in the emerging CAM market.
By addressing key challenges in international commerce, the facility aims to help bridge gaps in existing systems, facilitating seamless collaboration between businesses, governments, and technology providers by proving practical, scalable advancements that simplify and enhance global trade processes.
It has been developed through a partnership between Teesside University, the Tees Valley Combined Authority, the International Centre for Digital Trade and Innovation (C4DTI), and Teesside Freeport, which provided £3.5 million to support the initiative.
The Testbed provides businesses with a secure, real-world environment to trial cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, machine learning, the Internet of Things (IoT), geofencing, and decentralised digital identities.
By enabling companies to test and validate these innovations before deployment, the Digital Trade Testbed aims to help reduce risk, accelerate time-to-market, and improve operational efficiency. Businesses will benefit from faster, more automated import/export processes, streamlined cross-border data exchange, and enhanced supply chain visibility and interoperability, ultimately making it easier to trade internationally, comply with regulations, and adopt future-ready digital trade solutions.
“We’re delighted to welcome the Teesside Digital Trade Testbed to CAM Testbed UK. Its focus on digital trade and logistics complements our existing network and reflects the future of mobility, one that is deeply connected with supply chains and global commerce,” said Mark Cracknell, Programme Director, Zenzic, a founding member of CAM Testbed UK. “This facility will help accelerate real-world innovation, inform policy, and support UK leadership in the digitisation of trade and transport.”
“Teesside University is committed to conducting groundbreaking research into the technologies which will catalyse change and support our industry partners to deliver significant global impact,” added Professor David Hughes, Associate Dean (Research and Innovation) at Teesside University’s School of Computing, Engineering and Digital Technologies. “This testbed puts the UK at the forefront of digital trade. With our expertise in digitalisation and AI, we’re creating a test environment that can inform global best practice and enable smarter, safer, and more efficient cross-border trade.”
Work is currently underway on the construction of the testing facility, with those involved hopeful that it will be fully operational in Summer 2025.
“It’s great to see we’ve got spades in the ground to see this important zone built before the end of July,” said Ben Houchen, Mayor, Tees Valley. “Our region is well known as a leader in pioneering technology to attract huge international investment – and our 5G work, and digital prowess, is already making huge global companies sit up and take notice.
“We will be putting Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool on the international map to remove trade barriers, promoting cutting-edge research, and making it easier to do business nationwide and worldwide. This puts us even more firmly on the global trade map.”
As the latest addition to CAM Testbed UK, the Teesside Digital Trade Testbed will collaborate across the network to explore intersections between vehicle automation, logistics, and digital systems, driving forward a connected, interoperable, and future-ready mobility ecosystem.
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