38 | Sector Focus: Ports & Shipping
REMAIN HOT PORTS TOPICS
HAULAGE AND TERMINAL SPACE
Many timber ports have been at maximum capacity during a period of high demand for timber, with haulage availability proving a big issue for onward distribution of goods. Stephen Powney speaks to Scotline managing director Peter Millatt
Much focus has been on shipping and logistics during the global pandemic, with disruption, soaring prices and lack of availability being issues experienced during the last 18 months.
One of the UK’s major forest product shipping businesses is Scotline, based out of Rochester, where it also operates two terminals, as well as operating a site in Inverness. It is running regular routes from Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Norway and the Baltic states.
Scotline managing director Peter Millatt said 2020-21 had been an extremely busy period for the company.
He said while April 2020 had been a poor month due to the onset of pandemic restrictions, May picked up and in June things “took off”.
“Q4 last year was absolutely tremendous,” said Mr Millatt.
“In December 2020 our shipments from Sweden were nearly three times what we shipped in the previous December. Brexit came into it and everyone was pouring timber into the country as there was a massive shortage over here.
“This year has been pretty much the same – very high volumes. The DIY and garden product sector has been extremely busy –
I have never seen so many sleepers and so much decking.”
Mr Millatt said it had been “interesting times” but described the ports industry generally as having been in a state of flux for various reasons.
He said this was due to some ports struggling with manpower due to Covid-19 isolations, while others were stocked to capacity with timber and it was a challenge to distribute the wood onwards quickly enough. There have been reports at some ports of ships taking several months to discharge (see pp26-27).
“These problems with the ports have made people have second thoughts about which ports they’re working with and who they can rely on,” said Mr Millatt.
He added that Scotline had been lucky with coronavirus isolations – recording just one person over the period who went home with suspected Covid-19.
“Last year ended up being a record year for us and this year is probably going to be a record year in terms of timber volumes. We could have taken a lot more timber but just don’t have the port capacity for it. “Last year our sawn timber volumes from Sweden to the UK and Ireland was up 8% on the previous year. Varberg last year did about 1.15 million m3 them as well.”
Above: The Scot Isles was launched earlier this year TTJ | September/October 2021 |
www.ttjonline.com
Scotline is now operating its biggest fleet ever with 12-13 ships on just sawn timber. “We own the freehold of our terminals and employ everybody and work seven days a week and have absolutely no problems other than we don’t have enough land. If we could buy more land, I would buy more land. “I was hoping with the recession last year that some land would come on the market
– it was also a record year for
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