44 | Sector Focus: Ports & Shipping
SUMMARY
■ Scotline has continued to grow its liner services from Varberg, Riga and Wismar
■ It has seen an increase in the volume of log cargoes being shipped from the UK and Ireland
■Scotline has three vessels under time charter in addition to its own fleet of 10
DEPENDABILITY DRIVES SCOTLINE DEVELOPMENT
Regularity and reliability are the watchwords of the timber specialist shipping line and, it says, the keys to its success. Mike Jeffree reports
One of the best-known shipping lines bringing timber into the UK, Scotline, acknowledges that it’s operating in a challenging market. But it says its knowledge of the timber sector and long-term dedication to it positions it well to compete and grow – and it continues to invest to develop capacity and service and drive cost effectiveness. The shipping business in recent years has been characterised by rising costs and cut- price competition and says Scotline director Peter Millattt, operators have had to innovate to stay ahead.
“Like most industries around the world, our margins continue to be squeezed, and our sector, like the timber industry itself, is reaching to technology to further optimise efficiencies in a highly competitive market,” he said.
“While sawmills computerise and invest, for instance, in digital log scanning to optimise the cut profiles, we have adopted onboard software to monitor vessel consumptions as we continue to strive for efficiency.” Scotline’s ‘proud point of difference’, it says, is maintaining regular and dependable
departures on modern ships, underpinned by its stockholding operations and full onward haulage service throughout the UK. “In today’s market conditions, a very reliable service level is probably the most important factor in getting the goods to the customer quickly,” said Mr Millattt. “Our experience is that there is continued high demand for regular shipments and reliable stockholding facilities that can get product to destination in a timely manner. As regional stockists work to reduce their on- site inventory, there is a growing market for prompt resupply.”
Scotline’s strategy has continued to pay dividends. It has continued to grow its liner services from Varberg, Riga and Wismar, its home port of Rochester has remained very busy, and it is seeing growing volumes to Inverness, Hull and Ireland.
Above: Scotline has continued to grow its fleet capacity TTJ | September/October 2025 |
www.ttjonline.com
“On the loading side we are seeing more inbound cargoes from the east coast, middle and north of Sweden making their way to Varberg to benefit from the regularity of the Scotline liner service,” said Mr Millatt. “We are also seeing an increased number of rail services delivering timber to Varberg especially from central Sweden. At the same time, the ongoing industrial action that is affecting many of the larger Swedish ports is forcing previous trailer traffic to revert to conventional break bulk shipments.” With the increase in log prices in Scandinavia, Scotline has also seen an
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