The new contract expands the company's current involvement in waste disposal by water but for the moment the additional work falls within the capacity of the existing fleet. In the long term the need for greater efficiency and planned plant replacement will require the construction of new vessels.

The present tug fleet comprises six vessels, ranging from 750 to 1610bhp, regularly engaged in the day to day transportation of waste. Among them is the four year old twin screw tug Regain, the first lighterage tug to be built for use on the Thames in 30 years.

Also included in the fleet are a number of older traditional style tugs that have been thoughtfully refitted, re-engined and reconstructed to ensure that they are more than equal to the task of handling the sizeable lighters used to carry containers of compacted waste through the busy waters of Central London.

To complete the tug fleet is the small twin screw Resolve, used for local work, constructed in 1994 in the company's own barge works at Charlton.

Under the new contract the fleet will transport 460,000 tonnes of refuse per year away from transfer stations at Wandsworth, Cringle Dock, Walbrook and Northumberland Wharves. Until 2007 the destination will remain, as now, the Cory Environmental landfill facility at Mucking in the Thames Estuary. Preparations are necessary to ensure that an alternative disposal method and/or site is available for use after that date.

Whatever the destination of refuse in the future there is little doubt that transportation by water will play an important role.

As a means of transport the tug and barge operation makes good use of the Thames as a highway, with each barge carrying the equivalent of some 30 heavy road vehicles.

Under a recent restructuring exercise Captain Kim Milnes has been promoted to General Manager of the Lighterage Division of Cory Environmental, based at Charlton. His original post of Lighterage Manager has now been filled by Captain Neil Coborn. Captain Coborn recently joined Cory after a long and interesting career, covering many aspects of shipping and shipping management. With a deep sea and coastal shipping background he achieved a Ist class BSC degree in Shipping Operations at Southampton Institute in 1999 and prior to moving to Cory was Deputy Harbour Master for Newcastle on Tyne.