January 2012
P&O Cruises plans special 175th Anniversary event
On Tuesday 3rd July 2012, P&O Cruises has scheduled that all their seven vessel cruise fleet will simultaneously turn round in Southampton, as part of the company’s 175th anniversary.
This will be a particularly challenging day for the port and city of Southampton, especially as over 30,000 cruise passengers and several thousand visitors, including high profile VIP’s, are expected to attend.
Whilst Solent Stevedores remains committed to service the requirements of their customers at all times, it is considered prudent to pre-advise you of the likely challenges this enhanced cruise activity will have on general port business and traffic management on this date.
December 2011
Solent Stevedores wins new fertilizer contract
In August, Solent Stevedores were successful in winning the Swiss based Transammonia Fertilizer plant Bagging operation contract.
This has seen the company employ a further 6 Full Time staff taking the total number of Full Time staff in the business to 65.
Commenting on this success, Ian Jacobs General Manager said
“ Solent Stevedores has looked after the Stevedoring operation for Transammonia for 3 years now and we have worked hard to nurture a very close relationship at all levels. The acquisition of this contract takes our business into a new direction but at the same time allows us to help Transammonia develop their UK business model whilst providing them with a competitive edge."
“ It is fully envisaged that volumes of Fertilizer cargo will increase in 2012 and Solent Stevedores look forward to demonstrating to Transammonia that they have chosen the right partner in handling this business and with a replacement Loading Shovel and 2 new Forklift Trucks on order, we have made a statement of our intent”.
November 2011
Solent Stevedores wins coveted IBJ Customer Services Award
Almost 500 guests from the maritime bulk industry worldwide gathered on Monday, 14th November, to salute the bulk industry’s finest at the Hilton Hotel, Antwerp.
Delays through fog at many of Europe’s airports could not deter the huge crowd from assembling to give standing ovations to both final award recipients, Laurence G. Pathy, Chairman of Fednav Limited, Canada (Lifetime Achievement) and Harry Banga, Vice Chairman of Noble Group, Hong Kong (Personality of the Year).
There was also a standing ovation for the event’s musical finale provided by Belgium ’s stunning opera singer, Anne Cambier, pictured.
Guests were treated to a sumptuous meal at the Hilton, following a champagne cocktail reception and welcoming speeches from IBJ Publisher, Ray Girvan and guest of honour for the evening, Governor of the Provence of Antwerp, Cathy Berx. The Ambassadors to Belgium of both Canada and the United Arab Emirates were present as was Port of Antwerp Chairman, Mark Van Peel.
The awards host for the event was author and star of Belgian TV, radio and stage, Kurt Van Eeghem. Following the presentations, winners, finalists and their guests went on to celebrate and dance to the band at the closing networking party and to plan their participation at the IBJ Awards 2012 in Hamburg.
Solent Stevedores were delighted to win the Customer Care Award sponsored by Logsys and were 1 of only 2 UK winners of the 21 international categories. Ian Jacobs, General Manager at Solent Stevedores commented:
"We are delighted to have won the IBJ award - especially the Customer Care category. Service to our Customers is at the forefront of everything we do and it's great for the team to receive recognition for their hard work at an international event such as the IBJ Awards"
For more information about the IBJ Awards and 2011 Winners, click here >
PRESS ARCHIVE - 11 Nov 2011 - The Daily Mirror
Travel Advice - John Honeywell
"How your luggage gets on board"
"Living just 45 minutes away from the port of Southampton, I have grown accustomed to the ease of beginning a cruise from the UK's busiest passenger port. After a drive down the M3, I take my suitcases from the boot and while a porter whisks them away on a trolley, another man parks my car, leaving me free to check in and go aboard."
"There's more to turning ships around than processing passengers, however, as I realise each time I return from a cruise and take a moment to stand on my cabin balcony and look down at the fork-lift trucks marshalling on the quayside."
Captain Greybeard - mirror.co.uk
Read the whole story on the Daily Mirror blog website
October 2011
Solent Stevedores equipment investment continues
“We need equipment that’s reliable and does the job first time, every time….”
So says Ian Jacobs, General Manager for Solent Stevedores as he takes a further two Volvo loading shovels on board for the company’s stevedoring activities at the Port of Southampton.
The addition of two fully refurbished Volvo L120F loading shovels brings the fleet of Volvo branded products operated by Solent Stevedores at its Southampton and East London operations to fourteen. The machines have been deployed to handle a wide range of bulk cargo including animal feed, soya, gypsum, fertiliser, wood chips and glass and underwent modifications at Volvo CE’s Duxford used equipment department to cope with the relevant harsh and dusty operating environment.
Since its establishment in 2000, Solent Stevedores has seen a rapid expansion in its operations at Southampton. It operates on a 20 acre site with ample berthing facilities on the River Test handling in excess of 1.2 million tonnes of bulk cargo per annum. The company also acquired a prestigious contract three years ago handling raw cane sugar in east London on the River Thames deploying four Volvo shovels and a Volvo excavator on that site. The company’s portfolio was further enhanced in 2010 as it was awarded another contract loading and unloading cargo from cruise ships berthing on Southampton Water.
To read the complete story, please visit the Volvo website.
July 2011
Berth upgrade allows increased vessel berthing whilst protecting important heritage
In April of this year Solent Stevedores embarked on a construction project with Associated British Ports & HWM Civil Engineering Ltd to carry out a berth upgrade programme around the Head and the West side of the King George V Dock.
The project lasted 4 months and was completed within the budget of approximately £1.5M.
As the King George V Dock is a Grade II Listed structure, Solent Stevedores needed to work closely with both ABP and the Historic and Planning Departments of Southampton City Council.
A number of planning conditions were required to be met which included the creation of a Heritage area alongside the Victorian Pump House where 7 listed bollards which were removed could be stored and also a Stothert & Pitt 10 Tonne crane which dates back to the 1950’s.
Ian Jacobs, General Manager commented: “ The construction of this 8600m2 steel reinforced concrete slab now enables us to operate the three Gottwald Harbour Mobile Cranes along the west side of the King George V Dock. It was entirely necessary for us to invest in this project to assist in the development of the Bulks Terminal, and on completion we can now offer our clients increased vessel berthing and stockpiling options. However, whilst thinking of the future, we won’t forget the past and the Heritage area helps recall the history of the Port of Southampton.”
New Folklift trucks improve loading time by 15% at Silvertown, London.
New Folklift trucks at Tate & Lyle's Silvertown facility, London improves loading times by 15% following arrival of new Mitsubishi FG30N fleet.
Read full article (external link)
Boat Trains - the traditional way to travel to the Port...
The Port of Southampton’s passenger ship history was for many years inextricably linked to the iconic boat trains which regularly departed from the London Termini at Waterloo or Victoria, as well as other regional stations, and deliver their expectant passengers right next to the ship. All the port’s passenger facilities were directly rail served at the time.
The heyday of this activity was 1956 when 1,302 trains delivered 267,115 passengers and 1,186 trains took out 248,321 passengers.
However with the vast increase in car ownership and the popularity of coach travel, the requirement for special Boat Trains reduced considerably.
When the Orient Express discontinued its service to the Cunard Transatlantic trade in 2007, it looked as though passenger rail travel would finally disappear into history.
However soon after, CruiseSaver (part of the Bath Travel Group), began operating dedicated cruise trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh with pickups at Newcastle, Leeds, Preston, Stockport and Solihull.
These well appointed trains, offering first class travel and silver service meals, deliver passengers direct to the QEII Passenger Terminal in the Port’s Eastern Docks and the Mayflower Cruise Terminal in the Western Docks.
At both locations the passengers debark straight from the train in to the Terminal and go straight through to the departure hall. Meanwhile Solent Stevedores’ staff ensures all baggage is removed from the train, security screened and then delivered into the passenger’s cabin. The reverse procedure is undertaken following debark from the inward leg of the cruise.
CruiseSaver has 13 dedicated Boat Trains scheduled for the 2011 cruise season, with an estimated 2,400 passengers moving to and from Southampton based cruise ships in a relaxed and comfortable environment.
Whilst the majority of cruise passengers now choose to arrive in to the port by private car, coach or taxi, Solent Stevedores’ staff are proud to maintain the historical link with the railways which has helped shape the success of the Port of Southampton over its 170 year commercial history.
A busy weekend for Cruise Ships in Southampton...
The Port of Southampton will receive a total of six cruise vessels calling on Saturday July 16th, four of which will be handled by Solent Stevedores including Ventura , Grand Princess and Crown Princess.
We will also see the welcome return of the ex P&O cruises vessel Artemis, on her first visit back to Southampton since her rebranding under her new name ” Artania”. Solent Stevedores will be assisting a total of some 18,000 cruise ship guests during the course of the day.
May IN THE PRESS
The article below appeared in the following publications:
Daily Echo 16th May - view article
Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry 17th May - view article
Mags4Dorset 18th May - view article
The Business - view article
WASTE wood from Dorset to heat Swedish homes this winter.
The first of five shiploads of woodchip have left the Port of Southampton bound for Pitea in Sweden. A total of 15,000 tonnes will be shipped during the next four months. The wood, which previously would have gone to landfill, has been collected by Parley-based Eco Sustainable Solutions from household recycling centres across Dorset.
The Southampton shipment is the first since Solent Stevedores spent £100,000 on installing new facilities for handling wood chip. They included building a 2,500 square metre concrete pad for storing the wood before shipping.
Peter Hardy, Eco’s Sales Manager, said: “The loading operation took two days and went very smoothly. As always, we were delighted with the professionalism shown by Solent Stevedores.”
Ian Jacobs, General Manager, Solent Stevedores, said: “Wood chips have become an important new business stream for us”, and added “We’ve forged a strong business relationship with Eco and look forward to working closely with them over the coming months and years.”
May 2011
Inaugural Celebration
“Solent Stevedores were pleased to play a major role in assisting P&O Cruise with the successful Inaugural celebrations for the new fleet addition “Adonia”.
The celebrations took place over the weekend of 21st May, highlighted by a naming ceremony with Dame Shirley Bassey DBE.
The Adonia is the smallest vessel in the P&O fleet with a Gross Tonnage of 30,000T, and carrying some 700 guests. The vessel left for its maiden voyage on Sunday May 22nd.”
Dry Cargo Bulk Ports, Terminal and Logistics Conference - Antwerp
Ian Jacobs, General Manager and Ray Facey, Commercial Manager attended the Dry Cargo Bulk Ports, Terminals and Logistics Conference held in Antwerp this month.
The two day event attracted over 120 attendees from as far and wide as Alaska to Australia with the Conference being split into four sections: Trade & Commodity Analysis; Shipping the Bulk facility interface & terminal management; Information Technology at the terminal and Bulk terminal developments; Equipment and engineering.
There were a number of speakers in attendance discussing topics ranging from the Tracking & Tracing of cargo’s to the latest terminal layout designs and shipping fleet analysis.
Ian Jacobs commented:
“The Conference gave us a real insight of how over the last 10 years the global commodity volumes have doubled, and the operational challenges faced by the Logistics provider’s right across the globe. One of the most interesting speakers outlined the use of man-less grab unloaders in the port of Hamburg, which operate using US military missile guidance system technology to provide the accuracy needed when unloading bulks vessels. This was really eye opening and a thought provoking session which highlighted the ever growing potential of IT in the Bulks industry.”
March 2011
Congratulations Kevin and Shaun!
“Two of Solent Stevedores Supervisors, Kevin Schilder and Shaun Laver recently attended PETA Training and Consultancy in Portsmouth for a 2 week intensive Instructors course.
Both Shaun and Kevin successfully passed and are now qualified through the Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register, to train other Solent Stevedores staff.
Commenting, Doug Webb - Operations Manager said
“By successfully undertaking this Instructor course, both Kevin & Shaun are now fully qualified to develop and train their colleagues on all certificates that they hold which are: quayside cranes including up to 100T Gottwald, front end shovel loaders, 360 excavators, ships cranes, bobcats, counter balance 1.6T, 2.5T, 5.5T and 16T, tug master/MAFI. This in turn assists Solent Stevedores in developing their own in house staff training programme which gives the company greater flexibility and demonstrates to all staff that as an organisation, we see the continued training and development of our staff as an investment for the future”.
PRESS ARCHIVE - 8 Feb 2011
Daily Echo Supplement - Southampton
Rob O’Connell achieves a first for SETA and Solent Stevedores
SETA apprentice Rob O’Connell has achieved a notable first – he was awarded the first apprenticeship for a major cargo-handling firm in the Port of Southampton. Rob was recruited by Solent Stevedores where he will learn skills in the mechanical maintenance of bulk cargoes and cruise vessels.
Rob said:
“I feel the apprenticeship is going well. I’m using the skills I’ve learnt at SETA and putting these into practice. It makes it easier to learn because I’m actually using the machinery, so you get used to doing the jobs you need to do in the trade. I’m enjoying both the course and the docks. The people that I work with are great as well. They are very helpful and supportive.”
Lee Penfold, Maintenance Manager for Solent Stevedores, said:
“Between the General Manager, Ian Jacobs and I, we realised that we’ve both got young children and we know how hard it is to get a foot on the ladder. We wanted to give a young lad the chance to prove himself. SETA and I tailor-made the apprenticeship to suit our industry. Rob is not just going to be a mechanic or a welder, there’s going to be lots of strings to his bow”.
Ian Jacobs said:
“We’re very happy with the way he’s progressing and an apprentice has proved helpful for the business. It’ll be nice when he’s finished at SETA so we can get him stuck in a bit more. They’ve proved to be very supportive to the employer and to the apprentice, so we made a good choice there.”
Richard Heighington, Chief Executive at SETA, said:
“We were delighted to tailor a specific apprenticeship to suit the needs of Solent Stevedores and ensure that Rob gets the most appropriate training for his employer’s needs.”
PRESS ARCHIVE - 8 Feb 2011 - Daily Echo - Southampton
CHEERS!
Beer drinkers in Lithuania will be raising their glasses to toast the port of Southampton, after a cargo of monster, brewing vats were loaded in the city’s Western Docks...
The metal vats, which will be used for brewing lager to quench the thirst of Lithuanians, some of Europe’s biggest beer drinkers, were so big that specialised vehicles were used to bring the tanks to Southampton where they were loaded on the cargo ship, MV Moana.
Due to the specialist road transport involved, the tanks were taken to Pentalver Transport’s base in the Western Docks where they were lifted off to await export.
The vats remained in store at Pentalver until the day of loading, when the specialist haulier then moved all 11 steel structures to the ship, berthed in the King George Dock.
Specialists from Solent Stevedores, using a 100 tonne mobile crane, lifted the vats on to the ship within an extended day shift allowing the vessel to leave for Lithuania, earlier than scheduled.
Solent Stevedores started operations in the port of Southampton in 2000 and has grown rapidly since that time.
The roots of the company go further back with Stuart Cullen, Solent Stevedores’ owner and managing director, and his father William Cullen, both involved in port related bulk handling operations for many years.
Bulk handling in the port of Southampton has generally been a low profile activity compared to the three ‘C’s’, “Cruise/Containers/ Cars’’, but in recent years trade has proved resilient against a recession led downturn in other sectors.
February 2011
Modular Spreader Assembly Frame for Hire
As part of our ongoing Equipment enhancement programme, Solent Stevedores has recently invested in the above Lifting Frame.
This has a Lift capacity of 100 Tonnes at a maximum length of 11 metres, which is ideal for most Project cargo’s Yacht’s and Heavy Lifts.
This acquisition will further assist Solent Stevedores in offering enhanced Lifting options for all our clients in the Port of Southampton.
Contact Ray Facey on 02380 725790 or 07711 205916
Email ray@solentstevedores.com
STOP PRESS!
“After completing a record breaking year in 2010 which saw the throughput of cargo handled by the Dry Bulks division increase by 57%, 2011 has also started strongly.
February proved to be another record breaking month for the Dry Bulks division of Solent Stevedores who handled over 174000 Tonnes in the month.
This beat the previous monthly record by in excess of 70000 Tonnes, and Road Salt cargo’s which were discharged at an average of 1000 Tonnes, per hour, contributed to this performance”.
Ian Jacobs General Manager commented:“We witnessed extraordinary commitment levels and sheer hard work from our team during the month, where speed of discharge was really tested to enable us to minimize berth occupancy, and successfully handle every vessel which arrived at the Dry Bulks terminal. February was a stunning month for the Dry Bulks business and thanks to the support from both our clients and suppliers, we met the challenge, and my thanks go out to the whole team, who all played their part”.
PRESS ARCHIVE - 4 Feb 2011 - Daily Echo - Southampton
Southampton has once again underlined its dominant position as the UK’s premier port with the successful docking of the largest vessel to enter the former No. 7 Dry Dock since its closure in 2006.
The 623 feet long, 50,296 dwt. Nanos called to load 20,000 tonnes of recycled bulk material from what is now known as the King George V Dock, named after the monarch who performed the dock’s opening ceremony, more than 80 years ago. After completing loading at the dock, Nanos then moved to berth 109 to add a further 15,000 tonnes of cargo.
When constructed in the mid 1930s, at the Millbrook end of the port, No. 7 Dry Dock was then the largest graving dock in the world, and built primarily for the repair of large ocean liners such as the original Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.
Formally vessels calling for dry docking would be pulled into position using powerful winches. However, as a modern vessel, Nanos was able to berth using its own power and guided by four tugs operated by Itchen Marine and Svitzer.
After a series of unsuccessful ship repair ventures, the dry dock and its surrounding area has been incorporated, in recent times, within the port’s expanding bulk cargo handling business.
Doug Morrison, Port Director ABP Southampton, said:
“Nanos’s call further demonstrates the ability of the port to successfully respond to change.”
“By investing heavily in new equipment we have been able to adapt, what was an underutilised part of the port into a thriving bulk operation, which successfully complements our other main trade segments.’’
Stuart Cullen, managing director of Solent Stevedores, said:
“Our staff worked with Nanos round the clock to ensure this important and substantial export cargo moved to market in the shortest possible time to meet customer demand.
“Southampton is the only port on the south coast capable of handling such a large consignment.’’
ENDS
January 2011
A Wide Berth for Mighty Nanos
On 19th January MV Nanos arrived at King George V dock, the largest vessel to berth since the conversion from a dry dock.
MV Nanos Vital Statistics:-
The Nanos is a bulk carrier built in 2002 with a DWT 50,296, 189.8m LOA x 32.26m beam x max summer draft 11.9m (7.0m light ship for dock entry).
On 19th January 20,000mt of recycled metal was loaded at the King George V dock and then was moved to 109 berth to finish off with a total of 35,020mt being loaded over 5 days.
This is by far the largest vessel berthed at the working dock (wet) since being converted from a dry dock facility.
4 tugs were required to manoeuvre her into the dock and final position with a maximum width of 41.0m leaving just 7.74 m margin for error, and was under her own power at all times. Unlike the procedure when the dock was a working dry dock/ship repair facility, a vessel would be pulled into position by a series of winches ashore.
January 2011
Record breaking day for Cruise Operation – 6 Cruise Ship Day
For a remarkable few hours on the 5th January 2011, the largest number of Cruise Ships for more than a century made an impressive line up at the Port of Southampton.
Solent Stevedores played a fully active role in providing stevedoring services for the Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth and Arcadia.
Stuart Cullen MD commented “Throughout the time the ships were in we handled more than 40,000 individual pieces of luggage and a total of 860 tons of food, drink and other stores.
As well as this, our stevedores unloaded huge amounts of waste from the ships including, glass, cardboard and cans for recycling”.
The company are set to handle 235 separate cruise ship calls in 2011.
