44 | Sector Focus: Ports & Shipping
MORE LAUNCHES, LESS CARBON
Scotline continues to develop and future proof its shipping operations faced with a rising tide of green regulation. Mike Jeffree reports
It’s been a busy year at Scotline. The leading timber shipping fleet operator has launched new vessels and further developed its Rochester port facilities, while investing time and money in cutting its environmental impact. It’s a story of continued evolution. The company has been on an upward curve in a competitive market.
“Despite the volume of timber being imported from Sweden, Latvia and Germany being down, along with demand for softwood being subdued, our volumes have been good,” said sales director Cindy Crancher. “We have continued to grow our business and forge forward with our investment programme for our terminals in Rochester and new build vessels.”
During the year Scotline’s shipments from Sweden and Germany have comprised its usual mix of construction and packaging timber. From Latvia it has seen a reduction in poles and posts on the manifest, but that has meant a better stow on vessels. The latest additions to its fleet underline the company’s upbeat outlook. “We have taken delivery of two new builds in the last year. MV Scot Trader launched in July 2023 and our newest addition, MV Scot Leader came into service at the end of July this year,” said Ms Crancher. “Our timber, log, RDF [refuse derived fuel] and project cargoes
are keeping the fleet fully occupied and we have also just taken MV Celebrity, our old Scot Trader, on time charter (T/C) to fulfil contractual obligations.”
The new vessels give the company scope not just to handle more volume, but also, it says, to serve existing customers better. “We are not looking at any new services at this time,” said Ms Crancher. “We prefer to service our regular ports looking after our partners’ requirements and growing our existing business with the support of our port agents.”
At its Rochester terminals, Scotline has removed two old warehouses and resurfaced. “We have re-clad and upgraded several older warehouses, taken delivery of four new fork- lift trucks and are currently refurbishing two of our older cranes,” said Ms Crancher. “All this allows us to increase timber storage and improve efficiency.”
The company has continued to focus on reducing emissions too, as part of its own ESG targets and ambitions to reduce its carbon footprint and to future proof against ever tighter environmental regulation. “New EU fuel consumption monitoring regulations confirm the positive environmental impact of long-term investment in a modern efficient fleet,” said Ms Crancher. “Scotline continues our
collaboration with the government’s match funding clean maritime demonstration competition (CMDC), which supports pre- deployment trials and feasibility studies into technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We’re also working with Marine Research and Innovation (MarRI-UK) in pursuit of future fuels and cold ironing technology and innovation where vessels’ systems in dock use low emission shore power.”
The company has additionally worked in partnership with Kent Chamber of Commerce to reduce terminal emissions and recently attended the Clean Maritime Research Conference in London to gain a “better understanding of the potential new rules and changes coming in”.
Scotline acknowledges the hurdles the latter will present to the shipping business, but is positive about the potential to further grow and develop.
Above: MV Scot Leader came into service at the end of July this year TTJ | September/October 2024 |
www.ttjonline.com
“Having said goodbye to 14 years of Conservative rule, we feel that the construction industry fairs better under a Labour government, and its commitment to build 300,000 new homes each year for the next five years will boost the timber industry and hopefully provide the confidence in the market our trade needs,” said Ms Crancher. “And while the cost of ships is 50% up over the last five years, we’re committed to our investment programme to keep renewing our fleet, comprising currently 10 ships owned by Scotline and a further two on long term T/C. Therefore, we’ve confirmed slots for three new build vessels during 2027 and 2028.” Scotline has been in business 45 years and says it is “proud of where we have come and what we have achieved in this time”. “We have continually invested heavily to update and maintain our modern fleet of timber fitted box shape vessels,” said Ms Crancher. “In addition, we have upgraded and modernised our Rochester facilities to enable us to utilise every square metre of space to handle the volumes shipped. Our biggest challenge is the cost of being ‘green’ and how the regulations and ever-changing rules on emissions are impacting costs. But come hell or high water, we are committed to this industry and are here for the future.” ■
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