Capital Cruising has won a bid to host the prestigious Cruise Europe Conference for the first time in Edinburgh next year. The annual three-day event, which will be held in venues across the Capital in March 2020 including a gala dinner in the Museum of Scotland, is the largest and best attended cruise event in Europe with over 150 executives flying into Edinburgh from around the world.

Forth Port’s cruise business, Capital Cruising, will host the event after successfully presenting to the Cruise Europe team in Bruges, Belgium earlier this year. The conference gives Edinburgh the chance to showcase the unique attractions of the beautiful UNESCO city to an influential cruise audience during Scotland’s Year of Coasts and Waters 2020.

Edinburgh remains a popular cruise destination for visitors. Last year, Edinburgh was named Western Europe’s Top Cruise Destination 2018 for the first time. The award, managed by Cruise Critic, which is the world’s largest online cruise resource, is based solely on consumer ratings and reviews posted to the Cruise Critic website over the year – so it is first-hand feedback from cruisers themselves. Edinburgh won the award ahead of other amazing cities including Lisbon, Bilbao and Amsterdam.

Event host, Rob Mason, Head of Cruise for Capital Cruising in Scotland said: “This is brilliant news for Edinburgh and Scotland’s cruise market as we are set to welcome 150 of the world’s important players in the cruise sector to the City next year. This is a great opportunity to showcase what Edinburgh and the wider area has to offer cruise visitors and we are excited to be chosen as the hosts for 2020.

Scotland as a whole is a major draw for the cruise market, Edinburgh in particular is a ‘must-see’. The cruise season in Scotland is well underway and across all our ports we are expecting to welcome around 170,000 passengers this year which is a strong increase since last year.”

Commenting on the Edinburgh event, Jens Skrede, Managing Director of Cruise Europe said: “As soon as Edinburgh applied to be the hosting port, I knew they were frontrunners to be selected. Edinburgh is a marquee city which is on many people`s bucket list. In terms of cruise calls this is a great opportunity to showcase what not only Edinburgh, but the whole of Scotland has to offer cruise vessels and their guests.

For Cruise Europe it is a great venue, as we already have had very good feedback from decision makers working for the cruise lines that they want to join our event, network with our members and see what Edinburgh and surroundings have to offer. On a personal note, I can’t wait for March 2020!”

Malcolm Roughead, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said: “With the Year of Coasts and Waters right around the corner it is wonderful and timely to have such an important cruise event held in Scotland and a great achievement for Capital Cruising.

 “The Cruise Europe Conference shines a global spotlight on Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland with key players from across the world attending and it also provides a chance to highlight the Year of Coasts and Waters 2020 which will celebrate Scotland’s stunning coastlines and inland waterways, our cultural and natural heritage, and food and drink.

 “The cruise sector is hugely significant to our tourism industry – attracting visitors to our ports who then venture across the country, which in turn contributes to the economy and helps to create jobs and sustain communities.”

Capital Cruising runs seven busy cruise terminals and anchorages across the UK and is the only port operator to offer unrivalled direct access to Edinburgh for cruise passengers.  With ports in Leith, Rosyth and anchorages at Newhaven and South Queensferry, passengers are within easy reach of the famous attractions in Edinburgh. Last year (2018), Capital Cruising welcomed 114 liners into the River Forth with over 150,000 passengers onboard. 2019 will see further growth in passenger numbers with an estimated 155,000 passengers expected to visit the country. Forth Ports is currently looking at further options on the River Forth to accommodate larger cruise liners along-side.

Cruise ship holidays continue to grow in popularity which is great news for Scotland’s cruise business which is on track to welcome 1 million passengers annually across the country (source: Cruise Scotland). There has been a significant increase over the past decade with international travellers enjoying world-wide travel from the luxurious comfort of a well-equipped cruise liner calling into major cities around the globe. The cruise business is an important economic boost for Scotland and the local areas where the liners call, with many local businesses and attractions benefitting from the tourism spend.

11 September 019                                        – ends –

Port of Tilbury, London’s major port, this month marks the 50^th anniversary of its grain terminal, the UK’s largest terminal for the import and export of grain.

Built at a cost of £53.5 million in today’s money, the grain terminal has processed over 35 million tonnes of product since opening in 1969. It currently handles two million tonnes of grain, wheat, barley and beans every year to help meet the UK’s import and export requirements.

A vital supplier to major global brands, grain is handled at the terminal daily through its import and export capability and is a key supporter of the agriculture industry in the south east of England as well as the flour milling and bakery industries. The terminal regularly handles cargoes from in and out of the UK and to countries across the world from the USA and Canada to France, Thailand and Australia.

With two grain towers on site, the terminal can discharge and load vessels simultaneously and with a five-star food hygiene rating the facility has the trust of major companies. The grain terminal is fully automated and linked to the two associated flour mills located within the port.

Grain brought into the terminal can be made into flour to be used for every day goods stocked in supermarkets including pasta, baked goods and malt – used to make beer and the soya found in baby food.

Since Thames Grain was added to the terminal in 1983 it has allowed UK grown grain to be sampled, tested and tipped prior to export. This process is used to support the grain terminal’s major export of UK wheat, barley and human consumption beans to destinations across the world.

Peter Ward, Commercial Director at The Port of Tilbury said: “This year marks a special anniversary for Port of Tilbury’s grain terminal which plays a huge role in supplying businesses from around the world with the grain needed to support their brands.

“In half a century the grain terminal has processed over 35 million tonnes of grain, wheat, barley and beans while also assisting in the production of flour in its two associated mills to provide supermarkets with some of their most popular products.

“Port of Tilbury continues to invest in this vital asset to ensure it continues as the largest terminal for the import and export of grain in the country for the next 50 years.”

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 2000mt, supporting the flour and ingredient market for the southeast, London and up to the Midlands. Its berths have space to host post-panamax vessels – greater than 40,000 tonnes – but can also handle a range of coaster vessels on its inner, outer and coaster berths. The terminal also operates a monthly coastal shipping service from Tilbury to its sister port in Kirkcaldy, Scotland for Carr’s Milling.

Earlier this year, Port of Tilbury completed a major storage expansion at the grain terminal as part of its growth strategy. The new flat store increases the capacity by an additional 16,000 tonnes of both import and export wheat.

Ends                                                                                                   6 September 2019

Forth Ports Limited has launched a new online, real-time, container tracking system for customers using the busy ports of London Container Terminal (Port of Tilbury) and Grangemouth in Scotland.

The bespoke container tracking system is available via the Forth Ports website – https://groupcont.forthports.co.uk/containerEnquiry/ – and gives customers the ability to enquire in real-time about the status of their container within the ports of Tilbury and Grangemouth. The simple to use system has been successfully delivered by the company’s in-house IT team in conjunction with their long-term port system supplier TCS and has been designed to be accessible without the need for a login or password.

By simply using a container number or booking reference, customers can locate up to 50 containers with status options ranging from exit by vessel; exit by truck; in yard; and exit by rail. These real-time, 24-7, accurate updates are aimed at supporting and streamlining customer’s supply chain processes by reducing the need to contact the port to get the same information.

Commenting on the new system, Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer at Forth Ports said: “Our business is continually working hard to ensure that our customers receive an efficient service across our ports. Streamlining of logistics processes and improved access to information are important aspects for customers importing, exporting or distributing their goods and we have invested in this new container tracking system to support this.

For our container customers in London and Grangemouth this new system will further assist businesses by providing self –service access to key information, assist in reducing time within their supply chain and manage just-in-time logistics by providing accurate, real-time status information about containers within our two ports. It is now very easy to find the answer to the question ‘what is the status of my box?”

The new container search system has been introduced as part of an overall business strategy for a more unified and consistent service across the Group. As part of their complementary IT strategy, Forth Ports have also recently transitioned their two container businesses onto a common and fully integrated Terminal Operating System in association with their long-term software vendor TCS.

Forth Ports have also created a new website with a comprehensive new solution providing a much clearer and more unified perspective on Forth Ports as a group, facilitating structured and easy access to specifics on their various Ports and associated services: forthports.co.uk

4 September 2019                             – ends –

A new name will take to the waters of the Forth and Tay estuaries this week with the official naming of Forth Ports’ brand-new survey vessel – the Forth King.

The nine-metre long vessel will complement Forth Ports’ existing survey vessel, the Calatria and will be used to survey water depths within and on the approaches to the company’s five ports in the River Forth and at the Port of Dundee on the River Tay. She will also monitor the depth of the shipping channels within both estuaries.

The name Forth King was chosen in commemoration of the Calatria’s coxswain, Dave King, who passed away in 2018. Her naming ceremony was carried out by Dave’s widow, Liz King (pictured), following the blessing of the vessel, which was carried out by the Port of Grangemouth’s chaplain, the Rev. Joe O’Donnell.

The Forth King has been fitted with the latest multibeam sonar equipment, which carries out bathymetric surveys which produce a 3D image of the riverbed, and with a Lidar (radar using laser beams) which can very accurately measure features such as quaysides above the water line. The new vessel is quieter, cheaper to operate and more environmentally friendly than preview survey vessels.

She will be based in the Port of Grangemouth but will be used throughout the River Forth and the River Tay and will also be made available to the operators of other waterways, canals and rivers elsewhere in Scotland.

Master of ceremonies at the naming event, which was attended by staff from Forth and Tay Navigation Service and from the Port of Grangemouth, was Chief Harbourmaster, Alan McPherson, who said: “It is fitting that the Forth King carries Dave’s name. He was a great loss to everyone who knew him and his love of the river lives on in our new survey vessel. The Forth King will expand our surveying capabilities, not just in terms of the locations it can go to but in the range of services it can provide.”

3 September 2019                  – ends –

The Port of Tilbury hosted the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon. Sajid Javid MP, and the Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon. Priti Patel MP, today for an overview of its expanding operations – including a new port terminal, Tilbury2 – and its contingency planning for the UK’s departure from the European Union.

Construction at Tilbury2 by Graham Construction is underway on a site which was part of the former Tilbury Power Station. Once operational, in spring 2020, Tilbury2 will be home to the UK’s largest unaccompanied ferry port, operated by P&O Ferries, and the country’s biggest construction processing hub, with “Authorised Economic Operator” trusted trader status.

Tilbury has doubled the size of its business in the past 10 years and is projected to double the volume across the quay (from 16 million to 32 million tonnes) and triple the direct employment (from 3,500 to 12,000 jobs) over the next 10-15 years.

This growth is underpinned by the Port of Tilbury’s £1 billion investment programme, 2012-20, of which Tilbury2 is a central part. Tilbury2 will include a new rail and road connection, deep water jetty and pontoon, at a projected cost in excess of £200 million.

Expansion is needed to cope with rising demand for construction materials and aggregates from the UK’s building sector, imported and exported cars, as well as an increase in ferry traffic, which carries food, drink, finished products and other goods between Europe and the UK.

Sajid Javid MP, Chancellor, said: “Great to visit the Port of Tilbury with the Home Secretary and see how they’re preparing for Brexit. The £2.1bn no-deal funding I’ve announced today will accelerate preparations at the border, support business readiness and ensure the supply of critical medicines.”

“Tilbury2 will add much-needed European-facing ferry capacity at a crucial time for the UK economy,” commented Carole Cran, Chief Financial Officer of Forth Ports Group (owner of the Port of Tilbury), after hosting the Chancellor and the Home Secretary.

“In addition, our existing port infrastructure and experienced staff stand ready to flex in order to provide greater resilience to vital pan-European supply chains in preparation 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.

“Tilbury2 is a significant part of the Port’s £1 billion investment strategy as we look to provide the next generation of logistics facilities to equip Britain to take advantage of new business opportunities and cement existing trading relationships.”

Ashley Nicholson from Forth Ports has been appointed Vice-President of the UK Harbour Masters Association. Ashley is the first female harbour master to hold the title and she is also the youngest certificated Harbour Master in the UK to hold the VP role with the UKMHA.

The UK Harbour Masters Association consists of harbour masters from ports across the UK, both publicly and privately owned and represents a unique source of relevant, experience in a range of port and marine operations. The main objective of the association, which was formed in 1993, is to encourage the safe and efficient conduct of marine operations in ports.

Ashley has worked for Forth Ports for nearly 12 years starting her career with the port group as VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) Operator and since 2017 she has been the Senior Harbour Master based in Leith. Ashley is the youngest certified Harbour Master in the UK. In 2016, Ashley won the prestigious Scottish Engineering / Incorporation of Hammermen of Glasgow Award for the role she played in managing the marine operations during the construction of the new Queensferry Crossing in the River Forth.

Commenting on her appointment, Ashley said: “I am honoured to have been voted in as Vice-President of the UKHMA. The association is well respected in the industry with its views being widely sought. I am looking forward to my playing my part at an important time for marine organisations.”

Martin Willis AFNI, Executive Officer of the UKHMA said: “We congratulate Ashley on her advancement to the position of Vice President of The United Kingdom Harbour Masters Association, a position fully achieved on merit and on appointment by her peers within the association. Ashley has proved to be a very capable individual who, for a number of years, has actively contributed to the executive council of the association and represents the association both regionally and nationally across the UK. We wish her all success in her new role.”

9 July 2019

The FPSO vessel the Curlew arrived into Dundee on 22 June where she will undergo cleaning and waste disposal in preparation for being fully decommissioned. The vessel is owned by Shell UK and the contractor is being undertaken by Augean North Sea Services located at the Port of Dundee.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer at Forth Ports said: “We welcome the Shell Curlew into Dundee for the start of her decommissioning. This is a significant project for Augean and the port and clearly demonstrates the unrivalled capability of our infrastructure and the supply chain that we have developed in Dundee to take on these large-scale projects. Augean’s on site class leading waste management facility, coupled with our new heavy lift quayside and marine capability, is an attractive offering to the North Sea oil & gas decommissioning sector. The proximity to the skills base in Dundee along with our available land space and quayside makes Dundee the port of choice for large scale decommissioning in Scotland.”

The concrete pour of the first slab of the Tilbury2 roll on /roll off terminal took place this week by main contractor GRAHAM civils and Gill Civil Engineering supporting with the concrete project.

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.

Tilbury2 will act as a satellite of the main port and will comprise a:
• roll on/roll off ferry terminal for importing and exporting containers and trailers
• facility for importing, processing, manufacturing and distributing construction materials
• storage area for a variety of goods, including exported and imported cars
• new national strategic rail and road connection into the site.

For more information about Tilbury2 go to www.tilbury2.co.uk

Forth Ports in partnership with Eddie Stobart and Direct Rail Services today (18 June) announce a new weekend service linking, for the first time by rail, the ports of Tilbury and Grangemouth, Scotland’s largest port.

The new two-way rail service will commence on Friday 28th June and has been launched on the back of customer demand to open up the rail link between the South of England with Central Scotland. The first train will leave Tilbury on a Friday via Daventry and travel overnight arriving into Grangemouth on a Saturday.

The service which uses the DRS state-of-the-art locomotives and wagon fleet has a capacity to travel with 36 Containers and will be managed by Eddie Stobart working closely with both Forth Ports and DRS. The containers will carry cargo to Scotland from the South East including retail goods, food and drink. The return journey from Grangemouth, Scotland’s largest port, will support the country’s export market with the movement of spirits, chemicals and fresh food including potatoes.

Rail continues to be a key focus due to the reduced carbon emissions and this new service will connect ports in Southern England to central Scotland without using the already congested UK road network.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer, Forth Ports said: “Linking our ports in the South East and Scotland by rail has been a priority for us and we are pleased to partner with Eddie Stobart and DRS on this new service. The service comes on the back of an increase in business at our busy container terminals and underpins our commitment to provide sustainable and cost-effective logistics solutions for our customers, aiding growth and competitiveness in the supply chain. This is the first time that a rail service truly links our ports in Tilbury and Grangemouth which opens up a number of import and export opportunities for our business and customers.”

John Clark, Sector Director at Eddie Stobart said: “Eddie Stobart Logistics remains one of the only UK operators to offer genuine modal choice for customers, and we’re delighted to be able to extend our rail offering through our new partnership with Direct Rail Services and Forth Ports. Unlike many rail operators, our services are built in direct response to customer requirements – that’s why we’re introducing a new service that will link the Port of Tilbury to Grangemouth for the first time. We believe this will help to provide our customers with a cost effective and sustainable means of moving goods between Southern England and Central Scotland.”

Chris Connelly, Chief Operating Officer at DRS commented: “The DRS team are incredibly proud and excited to be working with Forth Ports and Eddie Stobart on this innovative project utilising our state-of-the-art locomotives and wagon fleet. Through partnerships such as these many more road miles can be saved and huge environment benefits will continue to be delivered by rail.”

18 June 2019

Investment in Forth Port’s busy container terminals in Grangemouth and London continues with a multimillion-pound order of eleven new Kalmar straddle carriers across the group.

London Container Terminal (LCT) took delivery of six new Kalmar machines this week (see images) and Grangemouth will receive five new machines in early 2020.

In London, three of the six new straddles are part of LCT’s equipment replacement programme, with the other three going into service to meet the increase in container business at the terminal. The current fleet at the terminal is now 36 straddles. London Container Terminal handles a diverse range of conventional and reefer containers with cargos ranging from fresh fruit and vegetables to bricks and steel.

In Grangemouth the purchase of the five new straddles is part of a major investment programme at Scotland’s container terminal to increase its capacity for storing both conventional containers and reefers (refrigerated containers). The new straddle carriers will replace five of the existing fleet of 16 and commence the transition to four high straddles from the current three high straddles. The port also welcomed a new Liebherr ship to shore container crane last year which is already delivering faster turnaround times. Grangemouth handles some of Scotland’s most valuable exports, such as fine foods and drinks, with more than £6 billion worth of goods passes through the port each year including steel plate, timber, paper and equipment for the oil and gas industry.

Stuart Wallace, Chief Operating Officer at Forth Ports said: “We are investing across the group and with these 11 new Kalmar straddles for our busy container terminals in London and Grangemouth, we secure their position as key shipping and distribution locations offering some of the most efficient landside operations in the industry. At LCT we have the capacity to handle in excess of half a million containers each year and it is the only UK port truly servicing both deep sea and short sea customers. Customers of LCT also benefit from access to Europe’s largest portside chill store sitting on the doorstep of the largest consumption market in the UK.

Grangemouth is Scotland’s largest container terminal and handles some of the country’s most important exports including food and drink to Europe and beyond. These new straddles build on the significant investment we have made in Grangemouth over the past 5 years to ensure an efficient service for our customers.”

Forth Ports will be at Multimodal 18-20 June, NEC Stand 3010

17June 2019