Harbour Master
Harbour Masters
Worldwide there are approximately 3,000 merchant ports and the work of the Harbour Master can vary widely from country to country and from port to port even within the same country.
The range of short sea container services available from Hutchison Ports London Thamesport is to be increased following the announcement by Viasea Shipping of a new service from the South East UK port to Norway and the Baltic.
Commenting on the new sailing, Mark Taylor, Director, London Thamesport, said: ‘London Thamesport is already well established as one of the leading short sea container ports in the SE England and offers excellent service levels in both quayside and landside operations. We are delighted that Viasea Shipping has chosen Thamesport as its gateway into the region.
‘The addition of their UK-Norway service complements the regular and reliable connections we already have to Northern and Southern Europe. We look forward to working with them over the coming years to increase the range, frequency and reliability of options for shippers.’
Morten Pettersen, Managing Director of Viasea added: ‘The south of UK has significant volumes of import/export to Northern Europe and Baltic region. Adding a call at London Thamesport will allow us to assist UK shippers and receivers to reduce their reliance on the heavily congested Channel crossings and will allow greater predictability for deliveries. It will also offer a greener route reducing the distances travelled by road as we bring our vessel closer to the market in this region.’
Norwegian-owned Viasea Shipping, established in 2016, is an independent short sea operator connecting Norway with the UK, Europe and the Baltic states. The new service from London Thamesport will call weekly with connections to Moerdijk and the Norwegian ports of Oslo, Moss and Kristiansand, with onward connections into the Baltic and Poland.
Hutchison Ports London Thamesport is located on River Medway near London, in the heart of South East England, 35 miles from Central London. The terminal provides road and rail links to the UK’s important manufacturing and distribution centres and is ideally positioned to serve as a port of entry for UK-bound short-sea container traffic as well as infrastructure projects around London.
Hutchison Ports London Thamesport is a member of Hutchison Ports, the ports and related services division of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited. Hutchison Ports is one of the world’s leading port investors, developers and operators with a network of port operations in 51 ports spanning 25 countries throughout the world. Over the years, Hutchison Ports has expanded into other logistics and transport-related businesses, including cruise ship terminals, distribution centres, rail services and ship repair facilities.
Picture caption
London Thamesport has been chosen by Viasea Shipping for a new container service to Norway and the Baltic.
Photo: Hutchison Ports London Thamesport ©.
Belfast Harbour Master Kevin Allen discusses the changing face of the maritime industry and developing the skills necessary for the port of the future.