The Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, announces today a long-term agreement with leading industrial gas company Nippon Gases Europe to import CO2 to the Thames port. The agreement will see weekly shipments arriving at the port, with Nippon Gases Europe investing in a permanent storage terminal at the port which became operational this year.

The shipments into Tilbury of carbon dioxide are carried on Nippon Gases’ dedicated ships in refrigerated liquid form and are intended primarily for the UK’s beverage and food markets. Nippon Gases Europe produces, sells and distributes atmospheric, process and speciality gases. Their products, services and technologies aim to make the planet more productive by bringing efficiency and environmental benefits to a wide variety of industries, including aerospace, chemicals, food and beverage, electronics, energy, healthcare, manufacturing, primary metals and many others.

Commenting on the agreement, Peter Ward, Commercial Director from The Port of Tilbury said: “We are thrilled that Nippon Gases Europe has chosen the Port of Tilbury as the Southern UK hub for their essential products. Nippon Gases Europe will benefit from our strong logistical connections and ideal location for their market place. This is our first bulk liquid customer in Tilbury, but we have areas of expertise across the Forth Ports group.”

Nippon Gases Europe’s Director of Operations Colin Trundley stated “We have supplied the Southern UK via the Port of London for almost 30 years. This latest investment in a new terminal in Tilbury demonstrates Nippon Gases Europe’s commitment to our UK customers whose businesses are dependent upon a reliable supply chain. We are very pleased with the support and co-operation offered by the Port of Tilbury and we look forward to a long and successful partnership that will benefit both our customers and our partners.”

23 May 2019

Forth Ports, one of the UK’s largest port groups, has achieved the new ISO 45001 standard in Occupational Health & Safety Management making them the first port group to be awarded this tough new international standard.

The new ISO 45001 standard, which sets a single benchmark for the management of occupational health and safety, replaces the existing OHSAS 18001 health and safety standard and has been achieved by all eight port operations across the UK including Tilbury on the Thames, Grangemouth, Leith, Rosyth and Dundee.

To achieve the Standard, the management and operation of cargo handling were audited in detail across two weeks. The audit was a mix of office based review of administration, quayside inspection and interviews with port employees of all levels. Forth Ports handle a diverse range of commodities cross the quayside including bulk cargos, unitised cargos, timber and paper products, trade cars, containers and project work.

The achievement of this standard demonstrates Forth Ports high level of commitment to Health and Safety across their business. The port group continues to implement a ‘Safety F1rst’ culture at all levels across the business, which aims to protect employees, customers and visitors.

Commenting on the standard, Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer for Forth Ports said: “This is significant news for our ports as we are the first port group to be awarded this new ISO health & safety standard. H&S is at the core of our values with safety being our top priority. We strive to provide safe and secure processes at our ports and this Standard gives our employees and customers the reassurance that we have robust processes in place. We could not have achieved this without the support of all our employees and we are committed to the continuous improvement that the standard requires.”

30 April 2019                               -ends-

Forth Ports New Crane Rosyth
For more details see press release
Pic Peter Devlin

Work on our new port Tilbury2, gets underway and GRAHAM the principal contractor for the major project has produced the first construction newsletter. Peter Ward, Commercial Director, Port of Tilbury said: “It’s exciting to see work underway at the Tilbury2 site following our Development Consent Ordering being achieved in February. We are keen to share the progress of this project through these regular newsletters and our project website. GRAHAM are working on both the land and marine construction of the new port which will operational in 2020. We appreciate the local community’s support as we create this new port which will secure the future of the port, stimulate economic growth and employment for the area.”

http://www.tilbury2.co.uk/large-downloads/Tilbury2-NewsletterUpdate-Issue1-April_19.pdf

for more information on the project please go to www.tilbury2.co.uk

Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, has completed its new major storage expansion at the port’s Grain Terminal as part of the growth strategy. The new flat store increases the capacity by an additional 16,000 metric tonnes of both import and export wheat.

The grain terminal is one of the UK’s largest and celebrates its 50^th year of operation in June this year. The terminal handles over 1.4million tonnes annually of combinable crops for both for the export and UK markets. With this new flat store in operation, the terminal now has a current storage capacity of 136,000 tonnes to support its key customers including Frontier and also Millford Grain who have taken a long-term commitment to store their grains at the terminal.

This flat storage facility is 36m x 66m and 6 metres in height. It is built adjacent to the existing grain terminal and utilises the mill gallery conveyor system with overhead conveyors feeding the new storage unit automatically. It has a capacity of auto inload of 500 tonnes per hour.

Peter Ward, Commercial Director at The Port of Tilbury said: “As we celebrate the grain terminal’s 50^th year, this new flat store provides us with more capacity to support our customer’s growing volumes. We are one of the UK’s largest grain stores with over 35million tonnes of product handled over the past 50 years and we hope to continue to play a significant part in the sector in the next half century. Our flexibility, capacity and quality accreditations, including AIB, TASCC and Organic Certified, allows us to deal with any changing trade patterns.”

Commenting on the expansion, Alistair Groves from Millford Grain said: “The addition of this new flat store facility considerably helps Millford Grain as a business, and our customer’s requirements. It also underlines the Port’s commitment to long term investment for our sector”.

The Tilbury Grain terminal is the key strategic facility in the South East of the UK for the grain import and export markets handling grain from around the world. The grain terminal has over 200 silo’s ranging in size from 60mt to over 2000 metric tonnes, supporting the flour and ingredient market for the southeast, London and up to the Midlands. The terminal also operates a monthly coastal shipping service from Tilbury to its sister port in Kirkcaldy, Scotland for Carr’s Milling.

28 March 2019                                          -Ends-

LEADING BUSINESSES JOIN FORCES TO DELIVER A ONE-STOP

DECOM HUB AND POTENTIAL NEW VIRTUAL DEEP WATER QUAYSIDE

A new alliance of leading businesses in the North Sea Oil & Gas decommissioning sector, has been formed and launched today in Dundee (18 March). Named Forth and Tay Decommissioning, the alliance of businesses has been created with a shared vision to position Dundee as the UK Hub for North Sea oil and gas decommissioning.

Forth and Tay Decommissioning (F&TD) offers an entire supply chain including ABB, Augean North Sea Services, COES Caledonian, Forth Ports, John Lawrie Group, Offshore Decommissioning Services and Well-Safe Solutions which can deliver an integrated, end-to-end service for North Sea Oil & Gas decommissioning. F&TD will manage every step of the decommissioning process from a single, strategically positioned hub at the Port of Dundee. From well abandonment and making safe, through topside and subsea removal, to onshore recycling and monitoring – each stage adheres to a rigorous planning process, with seamless project and facilities management ensuring reliable and environmentally robust delivery and value.

In the Firth of Forth, F&TD will consider utilising Scotland’s natural resources by taking the quayside to the deep water through the creation a new virtual deep water port at a deep water anchorage. A feasibility study has been commissioned and is being carried out by Bureau Veritas to look into the viability of the creation of the floating deep water quayside capable of accommodating the very largest decommissioning projects.

Commenting on the new alliance, Callum Falconer, Chief Executive of Dundeecom, said: “Today is an exciting day as we launch Forth and Tay Decommissioning. This is the natural evolution of Dundeecom, which was started two years ago with the vision of creating a decommissioning hub in Dundee. This vision is now being realised.

“F&TD will create the framework for a sustainable, profitable and low cost decommissioning industry in Dundee, and better serve the future needs of our industry in Scotland. We are supporting and aligning with the UK Government and industry regulators through our new model for decommissioning. I am confident that the feasibility study, also announced toda,y for a virtual deep water quayside will demonstrate that there is an opportunity to take an alternative approach by taking the quayside to the deep water thus capitalising on the natural deep water in the Forth.”

One of the founding partners, Charles Hammond, Chief Executive of Forth Ports (owners of the Port of Dundee), said: “Through significant private investment and strong partnerships, Dundee now offers a full service for the North Sea Oil and Gas decommissioning sector.  The proximity to the skills base in Dundee, along with unrivaled land space and heavy lift quayside, makes Dundee the logical choice for large scale decommissioning in Scotland. The study into a virtual deep water quay will ensure that we take advantage of the deep water in the Forth to accommodate the largest of decom projects.”

By establishing a permanent UK base for end-to-end service delivery, Forth and Tay Decommissioning will successfully eliminate the high cost, effort and risk of relocating talent and equipment for traditional project-based decommissioning. Dundee in particular offers a highly-skilled local workforce, with access to major transport links for easy commuting and streamlined logistics, while the Port of Dundee’s strategic location, ample dockside, and portcentric infrastructure make it the ideal domestic hub for decommissioning

18 March 2019                                   -ends-

Forth Ports scooped an award at the inaugural CeeD (Centre for Engineering Education and Development) Industry Awards 2019 last night at the Hilton in Glasgow (28 February).

The port group, which operates eight ports across the UK and employs over 1100 people, won the Skills Development Award for the first time. These inaugural awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of some of the best established businesses in Scotland, along with the rising stars in the industry.

The judges were impressed with the commitment that Forth Ports places on the development and the investment in its people. Through a bespoke Logistics Academy in Tilbury and a newly built Skills and Business Centre in Grangemouth, the company delivers an end to end employment lifecycle of training and skills development opportunities for its employees.

Forth Ports has embraced Modern Apprenticeships across a full suite of disciplines and is the only recognised provider for the Port Operations Modern Apprenticeship in Scotland recently partnering with CalMac ferries to support the training of their new Port Operator apprentices.

The business also focuses on opportunities for young people through Schools Discovery Weeks and placements that are recognised at Scottish National 4/5 level within the curriculum along with undergraduate internship programmes. These provide opportunities for young people to explore the world of work and develop the skills, understanding and confidence to support their ongoing career choices and development.

The company also supports skills and training within the community to promote the logistics industry and enable wider local skills development through the Department of Works and Pensions, focusing on tailor made Work Ready Programmes. In Tilbury they now have a Technology Suite housing two simulators that are used to re-skill or up-skill veterans into work through the Tilbury on the Thames Trust and develop in-house plant operation skills.

Over the last three years Forth Ports has invested significantly in developing the leadership capacity and capability to support the growth of their leadership community. A top down approach was adopted to ensure that the leadership capability was in place to support a cascade of ethos, approach and skills to enable the business agenda for growth.

Celebrating the CeeD award success, Jackie Anderson, Group HR Manager said: “We are thrilled to win this CeeD award for the first time. We are committed to the learning and development of all our employees, to help them succeed in their current roles and achieve the personal and professional growth to help maximise their potential’.

Employee development is key to the way we do our business through ensuring our organisation has the long-term skills, professional competence, and leadership necessary to achieve our ambitions for the future. This award testament to the hard work of many people across the business and my thanks go to the training teams who have contributed to this success.”

1 March 2019                         -ends-

The Port of Tilbury, the UK’s fastest growing port, has appointed GRAHAM to deliver their new multimillion pound port terminal, Tilbury2. The port received development consent from the Secretary of State for Transport to build the new port last week (20 February) and will now work with GRAHAM to begin construction of the port immediately.

The contract will involve the creation of a new port terminal and associated facilities on land at the former Tilbury Power Station on the north bank of the River Thames at Tilbury. When operational in Spring 2020, Tilbury2 will be the UK’s largest unaccompanied freight ferry port, the country’s biggest construction processing hub and the creation of a new significantly larger rail head which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775m.

GRAHAM has been awarded the contract for both the Terrestrial and the Marine Package. The Terrestrial contract incorporates a Roll-On/Roll-Off (RoRo), highway works, the relocation of the existing railhead, and a fixed structural steel bridge to the linkspan. The Marine contract includes works within the tidal estuary beyond the existing sea wall/flood defences, including a floating pontoon, link-span/articulated bridge, associated pilings and river bed preparation for the berth.

Charles Hammond, Chief Executive of Forth Ports Group (owners of the Port of Tilbury) said: “Tilbury2 is a significant project for our business and our customers. We are very pleased to have the expertise of GRAHAM to help us create this new port for London and the south east. GRAHAM are experts in what they do and have demonstrated this in their recent maritime projects in Hull, Grimsby and in Folkestone. There is a great deal to do over the next 12months and we look forward to opening our new port in 2020.”

Commenting on Tilbury2 Michael Graham, GRAHAM Executive Chairman: “The Tilbury2 project is a complex scheme that will facilitate the expansion of the Port of Tilbury and support its continued local, regional and national economic growth. We look forward to working collaboratively with The Port of Tilbury and local stakeholders to deliver this transformational scheme.

At GRAHAM, we are committed to delivering lasting impact and the Tilbury2 project is an example of a development programme that will not just enhance the Port’s offering to importers and exporters but will deliver long-term regeneration and create significant new employment opportunities.”

Tilbury2 is central to the Port of Tilbury’s £1 billion investment programme during 2012-20. Tilbury has doubled the size of its business in the past 10 years and is projected to double the volume of cargo across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and increase direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs) over the next 10-15 years.

25 February 2019                                                   – ends-

Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, scooped the Rail Freight and Logistics Excellence industry accolade at this year’s Rail Business Awards at a ceremony on 21 February 2019 in central London. The Port was shortlisted for its “Reinvigorated rail freight” offering, alongside two other entries – Colas Rail & Tarmac and GB Railfreight – in the company’s inaugural entry.

Over the past two years, the Port has revived its rail freight offering by introducing regular intermodal services to The Midlands, North West and Scotland; creating a dedicated bulk rail terminal, which has subsequently been expanded to facilitate growing traffic; and establishing a rail connection to the recently consented 152-acre deep-water port terminal, known as Tilbury2.

With three rail terminals in the port and the Essex Thameside rail corridor already accounting for approximately 10% of the UK’s rail freight traffic, the Port is well positioned to provide sustainable and cost effective logistic solutions for customers.

“It’s great to receive this industry recognition acknowledging our success in reviving Tilbury’s rail offering”, Peter Ward, Commercial Director at the Port of Tilbury said.

He added: “Since setting our rail freight strategy two years ago and committing significant funds to support investment in new infrastructure and equipment to aid our overhaul, Tilbury has gone from strength-to-strength, securing new and growing intermodal and bulk traffic flows.

“We remain committed to providing sustainable, multi-modal and cost effective logistics solutions to support our customers’ growth and supply chain competitiveness. Our success is founded on the strong partnerships we have formed with URM, FM Conway, Tesco, Samskip, ECS, JF Hillebrand, Eddie Stobart Logistics, Victa Railfreight and DB Cargo UK. This award is testament to that continuing positive collaboration.”

– ends –

Forth Ports Group receives planning consent for new port on the River Thames

20 February 2019

The Port of Tilbury, the UK’s fastest growing port, has today (20 February 2019) received development consent from the Secretary of State for Transport to build Tilbury2 – a new multimillion pound port terminal adjacent to the current 930 acre site in Thurrock, on the outskirts of Greater London.

With construction scheduled to commence in a matter of weeks, the privately funded port, Tilbury2, will be built on a site covering in excess of 150 acres, which was part of the location of the former Tilbury Power Station. When operational in Spring 2020, Tilbury2 will be the UK’s largest unaccompanied ferry port and the country’s biggest construction processing hub, with AEO-trusted trader status.

Expansion is essential for the Port of Tilbury to cope with rising demand for construction materials and aggregates from Britain’s construction sector, imported and exported cars, as well as an increase in commercial ferry traffic, which carries consumer goods, perishables (food and drink) and steel between Europe and the UK.

Construction of the port, which will include a new rail and road connection, deep water jetty and pontoon, will bring the project cost to in excess of £200 million. The tender process for a contractor to complete this build has been completed and an announcement will be made shortly.

Tilbury2 will comprise:
• A roll on/roll off ferry terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers to northern Europe, in partnership with P&O Ferries
• A facility for importing, processing, manufacturing and distributing construction materials
• A strategic rail terminal which can accommodate the longest freight trains of 775m
• Storage areas for a variety of goods, including exported and imported cars.

Tilbury2 is central to the Port of Tilbury’s £1billion investment programme during 2012-20. Tilbury has doubled the size of its business in the past 10 years and is projected to double the volume of cargo across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and increase direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs) over the next 10-15 years.

Charles Hammond, Chief Executive of Forth Ports Group (owner of the Port of Tilbury), said: “This is great news for the UK at a time when the country needs its ports more than ever before. Tilbury2 will deliver much needed port capacity to support businesses importing and exporting to and from Europe and the rest of the world. The terminal will be fit-for-purpose for the UK’s departure from the European Union, utilising the latest technology and streamlined border processes, in support of continued market demand created by business growth.

“By 2020, £1billion will have been invested in Tilbury’s expansion plans, including Tilbury2 and the 55-acre London Development Park, with the full backing of our shareholders.”

20 February 2019 – ends-

Metal recycling, decommissioning and steel tubulars specialist, John Lawrie Group, is set to expand its operations in Scotland after agreeing a multi-million pound deal to develop a new site at the Port of Dundee.

The Aberdeen-headquartered company has reached an agreement with Forth Ports to establish a new metal recycling and decommissioning base at the Port. Both organisations will invest in the project, which will see an existing two-acre site at the city port redeveloped to create a new purpose-built concrete pad. The site will support the existing supply chain in Dundee in delivering oil and gas and decommissioning projects in the city.

A combined investment of around £5million is being made by both businesses in the development, which covers construction costs, the long-term lease of the site and the purchase of plant and equipment. John Lawrie Group will use the site to dismantle redundant offshore infrastructure brought ashore during oil and gas decommissioning projects and also for metal processing operations.

Scheduled to be up and running in early 2020, the facility will be operated by John Lawrie Group’s metals division. At launch, up to 10 new full-time jobs will be created, with the prospect of further posts being added as operations at the site develop.

John Lawrie Group is one of the country’s leading metal recycling companies, annually processing around 200,000 tonnes of metal. The firm is committed to maximising the reuse and recycling of redundant offshore materials and structures, and has been involved in the decommissioning sector for over 20 years. During that time it has handled piece small items from repair and modification projects, to piece large items brought ashore as part of entire platform or field decommissioning programmes.

John Lawrie Group, which operates metal recycling facilities in Aberdeen, Montrose, Evanton near Invergordon and Lerwick on Shetland, has previously carried out decommissioning work at the Port of Dundee. In 2015, it dismantled a 500-tonne offshore module at the port, with the materials then being transported to the firm’s Aberdeen metal recycling facility where the redundant North Sea structure was fully processed and recycled.

The firm achieves reuse and recycling rates of around 98 per cent on decommissioning projects. That commitment to reuse and recycling – which in turn promotes the circular economy – led to John Lawrie Group winning the circular economy award at the 2017 VIBES – Scottish Environment Business Awards.

Dave Weston, John Lawrie Metals managing director, said: “This is a significant investment for John Lawrie Group and comes 12 months after we acquired a metal recycling facility on Shetland. It underlines our commitment to support the oil and gas decommissioning sector and forms part of our long-term strategy to develop John Lawrie Group’s operations across the country. Operating facilities in close proximity to Scotland’s major ports also acknowledges the strategic importance we see them continuing to play as part of the country’s infrastructure.

“Over the coming 12 months we will be working closely with all of the relevant authorities and licensing bodies as we finalise plans for this development in Dundee. Our aim is to maximise the amount of materials that are reused and recycled, in order to minimise the volume of waste sent to landfill, helping to create a greener and more sustainable economy.”

Led by Forth Ports and public-private partnership, Dundeecom, work is underway to position Dundee as an integrated hub for North Sea oil and gas decommissioning work. Boasting deep-water berths and a strategic east coast location, it is hoped Dundee will secure a sizeable portion of the £15.3billion that is forecast to be spent on decommissioning oil and gas infrastructure from the UK Continental Shelf over the next decade.

Commenting on the Dundee development, David Webster, Forth Ports’ Senior Port Manager for Dundee and Leith, said: “This is a major milestone in Forth Ports’ strategy to develop a full service oil and gas decommissioning hub here at the Port of Dundee.

“We are excited to be working with John Lawrie Group to develop this new decommissioning facility. We have worked closely together on a number of projects and the company’s commitment to reuse and recycling and its strong track record is evident. The opening of the facility in early 2020 will be a very visible sign of the Port of Dundee’s ambition to support the North Sea oil and gas decommissioning sector.”

Callum Falconer, CEO of Dundeecom, added: “John Lawrie Group is a long-established and highly regarded company that has an extensive track record of innovative thinking in oil and gas decommissioning. It is great to welcome the company to Dundee on a permanent basis, where it will complement the existing supply chain. John Lawrie Group’s decision to locate here is a real vote of confidence for the city as it seeks to continue to diversify its economy and establish itself as an important decom hub.”

Established in Aberdeen as a metal merchant, John Lawrie Group now offers a diverse range of industrial services across its metals, tubulars and decom divisions. The firm specialises in metal recycling and reprocessing, the supply of new and used steel tubulars, and the provision of industrial and oilfield decommissioning services. John Lawrie Group employs an 80-strong workforce across operations in the UK, America and Europe. In 2017, John Lawrie Group was acquired by its management in partnership with Rubicon Partners, a leading industrial investor, and principal investment firm Grovepoint.