UK Dredging (UKD), Associated British Port’s dredging division based at the Port of Cardiff, completed another successful year in 2004, combining its commitments to ABP ports with third-party works, winning both long-term charters and one-off dredging contracts.

As well as fulfilling ABP’s maintenance dredging requirements, UKD was appointed by the Irish Department of Defence to dredge Haulbowline Naval Base in County Cork. UKD also undertook dredging projects at Portsmouth Commercial Port on behalf of Portsmouth City Council and for HST Ltd at its terminal on the Humber.

ABP said UKD distinguished itself in early 2004 when it was one of the first companies with UK-flagged vessels to be awarded full International Ship and Port Facility Security certification by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.

The year also saw UKD continuing to provide a cost-effective solution to the substantial maintenance-dredging requirements of ABP’s ports.In addition to its in-house operation, UKD markets its services to non-ABP clients. Term-dredging contracts were awarded to UKD by Forth Ports, and the Port of Workington.

UKD’s client base also continues to expand through one-off contracts. Combined with repeat business and capital-dredging works on the Humber, UKD’s fleet was fully utilised throughout 2004. 2004 also saw UKD continuing to expand its non-dredging activities successfully, with new contracts won in the fields of hydrographic survey and buoy-maintenance works. UKD Sealion, the latest addition to UKD’s fleet, was active with a new buoy work term contract in South Wales, and has recently completed service contracts for the Port of Mostyn, and for water and energy provider, United Utilities.