Teesside International Airport has signed an agreement with Sary-Arka Airport in Kazakhstan to establish direct freight connections between northern England, Central Asia and China.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes a partnership between the North East gateway and the Karaganda-based airport, which sits along primary trans-Eurasian trade routes. Under the pact, the operators will explore scheduled and charter freighter services linking Teesside directly with Central Asia, alongside wider collaboration on e-commerce handling and logistics real estate.

The move forms part of a broader push to position the Tees Valley as an international logistics hub, capitalising on available air freight capacity outside the congested London airport system.

Phil Forster, Managing Director of Teesside International Airport, said: “This agreement represents an exciting opportunity for Teesside International Airport as we continue to strengthen our position as a growing cargo gateway connecting the UK with key global markets.

“Sary-Arka Airport shares many of our ambitions and is strategically positioned as an important cargo hub between Europe and Asia.

“By working together, we can identify new freight opportunities, support airline growth, share expertise and create stronger links for businesses across our respective regions. We believe this partnership can play an important role in developing future trade routes and enhancing connectivity between Teesside, Central Asia and China.”

Ruslan Gabbassov, CEO of Sary-Arka Airport, said: “Karaganda and Teesside have highly complementary positions in the emerging global cargo network. Teesside provides strong access to the UK and European markets, while Sary-Arka is strategically located at the heart of Eurasia, with direct access to the rapidly growing trade flows between China, Central Asia and Europe.

“This partnership is therefore not simply about establishing a route between two airports. It is about combining our respective strengths to develop new cargo flows, attract airlines and logistics operators, and create more efficient connections between our markets.

“For Sary-Arka Airport, this MoU is an important part of our strategy to develop Karaganda as an international cargo and logistics hub. We look forward to working with Teesside as an equal partner to turn these opportunities into commercially sustainable cargo services and long-term trade links.”

We have worked incredibly hard to transform Teesside International Airport into a thriving centre for business, logistics and international trade, and this agreement is another important step forward in that journey.

Building relationships with ambitious international partners such as Sary-Arka Airport creates real opportunities for our businesses to access new markets and strengthens Teesside's position as a globally connected region.

As we continue to grow our cargo operation and attract further investment, partnerships like this will help unlock new routes, support jobs and drive economic growth across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.