Adsteam Diversify

The Gravesend branch of Adsteam has undertaken the trans-shipment of refrigerated containers between Tilbury Dock and the port of Sheerness using a tug and barge service. In the initial phase of this new operation 400 containers will be transported over a five-week period. Loaded containers are being taken to Sheerness to be unpacked at a specialist fruit handling facility and the empty boxes then returned to Tilbury.

The work is being carried out by Adsteam for P&O under contract to the Delta Shipping Company of Great Yarmouth.

Using the chartered 71m barge Thames-Lloyd 10 , a consignment of up to 54 (20ft) containers can be moved on each carefully scheduled trip.

Andrew Dalrymple, Chief Executive of Adsteam (UK) Ltd, explained that; ‘The new tug-barging operation on the Thames and the Medway is a good example of Adsteam’s drive to expand into other marine services which complement its core port and harbour towage activities. Extensive market research was undertaken with potential customers for barge services, including container line operators who confirmed their need to move containers between various locations on the two rivers.

‘This encouraged Adsteam to enter the market, on the back of an agreement to move regular cargoes of aggregates. The first couple of trips enabled the service to bed-in and the level of work has been steadily growing.

This has enabled increased utilisation of the Gravesend-based tug fleet to be achieved, because the tugs were previously only busy over the periods of high water when larger vessels are moving, whereas the barge activity can mostly be accommodated at other times.’

The company are keen to pursue this type of work, as an additional service that can be readily provided using the skills and vessels already available, thus increasing utilisation of the local tug fleet. The company are already carrying regular cargoes of stone products from a wharf at Northfleet to berths further upriver using the same versatile barge. Over a dozen 1200 tonne shipments of aggregates and stone chippings have been made since the service started earlier in the year from the Thameside base of stone specialists Stema Shipping Ltd.

Adsteam has also investigated opportunities for tug-barging on the Humber and is very pleased with the way one of its other diversification projects is developing, namely the coastal and near continental towing being undertaken by subsidiary company Felixarc Marine. An otherwise surplus tug SunLondon has been allocated to test out this market, and all the signs so far are extremely encouraging.

Andrew Dalrymple suggests that if these new ventures continue to confirm their early promise it is likely that Adsteam will look for other areas in which it can deploy its expertise and grow its business further.