NewsNovember 2019

Prime Minister Boris Johnson told how he “burstwith pride” to see the success of the UK’s onlyindependently-owned Port during a visit lastweek in which he also claimed Bristol was a“strong contender” for beneficial ‘free’ port status.Mr Johnson praised the “incredible” story of howThe Bristol Port Company has invested£500million to turn it into one of the leading portsin the country, which contributes in excess of halfa billion pounds to the regional GDP.. Post Brexit,the Prime Minister has pledged to create six freetrade zones – known as free ports – wherenormal tax and customs rules do not apply,meaning goods could be imported and re-exported without checks, paperwork or tariffs.“Bristol obviously has a very good case – it’s avery interesting proposal,” Mr Johnson said in aninterview later that day. “Bristol is the nearest portin the UK to important ports in the US likeJacksonville, and it’s going to benefit from beingopen to the world.”

Prime Minister champions Bristol Port

As his visit began, Mr Johnson was kitted out bythe Operations team in a personalised ‘PrimeMinister’ high visibility jacket. He took the helmof Port shoalbuster vessel Graham Robertson,sdf

‘Strong contender’ for benefiting from ‘free port’ status, says Boris

under direction of Captain Jack Fryatt, and latermet and took selfies with Port apprentices ashe discussed the highly successful PortApprenticeship scheme. (continued over)

NewsNovember 2019

Free Port potential… PM visit: key quotes“It is an incredible story of how The Bristol Port Company took it out of public ownership and put in £500million, invested in the facilities here.”

“Bristol is the nearest port in the UK to important ports in the US, and it’s going to benefit from being open to the world.”

“Fantastic!”

On learning that Bristol Port handles 1.5 million tonnes of animal feed, grain, mollasses and fertiliser per year

“Big opportunities for Bristol Port”

How the PM described life post Brexit

John Chaplin, Director of External Affairs andSpecial Projects said: “Land within the estateis fully utilised and new land has beenacquired to meet the Port’s existing needs.The Avonmouth-Severnside Enterprise Area,north of the Port, affords an opportunity touse green and brownfield sites for a freeport zone for existing and new businesses.“This will require us to work closely withGovernment, the local authorities,stakeholders and our neighbours, and willrequire renewed dialogue and co-operationwith the relevant planning authorities.”Patricia Greer, Chief Executive of the West ofEngland Combined Authority and LocalEnterprise Partnership, told the Bristol Post:“Together with the Bristol Port Company, weare interested to see how the 'free ports'concept could potentially help to transformthe region and further support its continuedeconomic growth. We are working with thePort on this and exploring options for thefuture.”

UK’s largest grain shipment at Bristol Port

NewsNovember 2019

The largest shipment of grain to be exported fromthe UK this season will set sail this month fromRoyal Portbury Dock, furthering Bristol’sreputation as the port of choice for South Westfarmers and a key global gateway for theagricultural trade.

Up to 64,000 tonnes of barley is being loaded thisweek on to a large Panamax vessel headed forSaudi Arabia, where it will be used as animal feed.The shipment has come through the partnershipbetween The Bristol Port Company andOpenfield, the British co-operative representingmore than 4,000 farmers, with the barleyharvested from across the South-West region.Bristol’s ability to handle Panamax vessels – asone of the UK’s largest deep- water ports – opensshipments up to global trading destinationsbeyond the EU.Jonathan Mordaunt, Bristol Port’s CommercialDirector, said: “There has been a bumper harvestthis year and the superb co-operation betweenour grain team and Openfield has lead to ushaving the busiest start to the grain season in thePort’s history.”

“The busiest start to the grain season in the Port’s history”- Jonathan Mordaunt, Commercial Director

More agri-trade news inside

NewsNovember 2019

Bristol Port’s investment to boost its agriculturaltrade operations has continued with the purchase oftwo new bespoke excavators for ship trimming.With a boom in the Port’s grain and animal feedbusiness, it is hoped the investment will furtherimprove efficiency and safety.Manufactured in the UK by JCB, the X series 150X isa 15-tonne machine, which has been tailoredthrough an engineering partnership with the Port todesign the lifting points and make significantmodifications to suit the dusty environment themachines will be working in.Lucy Ellis, Development Engineer, said: “We wantedto ensure that safety was our enduring priority, sowe reviewed the design of our excavators to make iteasier to clean and stop dust from getting in, whichcan be a potential fire hazard when working withgrain and animal feeds. We also made some otherimprovements to the design, including hinged hatchdoors for ease of cleaning. So far it has been a greatpartnership with JCB and Bristol Port of which thisfantastic machine is the result.”A successful test lift has been carried out, and theexcavators will fully operational shortly.

New JCB excavators supports booming trade

Safe and efficient:

(above) one of the new excavator machines

performs a test lift.

(right); image of rear of the

machine

A bumper wheat and barley harvesthas been reported in the UK this year,and the Port anticipates it willcontinue to receive further largeshipments.The Port has invested heavily in itsAgricultural Bulk Shed (ABS) facilitiesto make it a long-established leader ingrain exports. ‘Tipping’ times can be aslittle as five minutes and the efficiencyof its operations allows the Port tohandle up to 9,000 tonnes of grain perday, equivalent to over 300 trucks.Customers also credit the Port asbeing user friendly in its handling oftrucks delivering or taking away grainfrom the site.Worldwide demand for big shipmentsof grain can be met because the42.7m-wide lock gate at Portbury –the largest of its kind in the UK –allows the Port to welcome largervessels than any other UK dock.

Record shipment (cont. from front page)

Adding value… blending, milling and bunkering‘Feel free to share your ideas with us’, CEO tells agri trade

NewsNovember 2019

Bristol Port’s diverse range of offerings tothe agricultural trade were showcased thismonth to grain market experts.A group from CRMAgri Commodities,including many farmers from the SouthWest region, said they were surprised tolearn the Port not only deals with the exportand import of grains and animal feed, butalso plays a value-added role by offeringblending, milling and bunkering onsite.David Brown CEO, who welcomed thegroup along with Trade Manager JamesReeson, said: “There is probably more wecan do with the export market and we inviteanyone to speak with us if they have anyneeds or ideas.”Delegates were also asked to consider thepotential wider ‘out of the box’ farm supplyneeds that could be met through the Port.Weekly container and Ro-Ro services canimpo

CEO David Brown presenting to CRMAgri alongside Agriculture Trade Manager James Reeson

CRMAgri Commodities are a UK basedgrains and oilseeds price risk managementcompany, who provide marketing and riskmanagement solutions to farmers, endusers and risk management solutions..

export and import everything frommachinery and vehicles, including tractorsand trailers, to clothing includingWellingtons, or food and drink for famersseeking to export cheeses or ciders abroad.

NewsAugust 2019Did you know?

November 2019

Visit https://www.bristolport.co.uk/trades/dry-bulksfor more information

NewsMarch 2019Picture of the Month

May 2019Photo of the monthNovember 2019

MSC Atlantic at Royal Portbury Dock. Sent in by Martin Pick, Marine Department.

NewsNovember 2019

Up to 50 new jobs will be created under plans fora new £140million manufacturing plant at RoyalPortbury Dock in North Somerset. The Bristol PortCompany will also be making a significantinvestment in support of this project.The Port has welcomed plans from Belgianplasterboard giant Etex, who own the Siniat brand,to develop a facility near to its existing plant, on apart of the now redundant coal stockyard land.It is the biggest single capital investment in the UKfrom Etex, which boasts Europe’s largestplasterboard market, and allows the company tomaximise its ability to import raw materialsefficiently and sustainably via the Bristol Channel.Subject to planning permission from NorthSomerset Council to develop the plans,production would start in 2022.Neil Ash, head of Etex Building Performance, said:“In line with North Somerset Council’s vision toboost regional growth, our investment will see thetransformation of a redundant coal site into abrand new manufacturing plant, creating jobs andsupporting the local economy.”

New £140m manufacturing plant in Royal Portbury Dock

Aerial view of Bristol Port and Royal Portbury Dock where the proposed new Etex factory will be built.

NewsNovember 2019

Bristol’s flourishing cruise trade was top of theagenda as Port representatives exhibited at ahighly influential networking event with over10,000 attendees in Germany.

Leading cruise line executives and itineraryplanners from across the world were among thevisitors to the Bristol Cruise Terminal stand at theSeatrade Europe conference.

Commercial Manager James Stangroom said:“We are expecting an uplift in the number ofpassengers both embarking their cruise at thePort as well as those visiting the city and region.”Bristol will see 23 calls next year, an increase offive since 2018, while passenger numbers areexpected to rise by 10 percent.

Both the Seabourn Quest and Ovation will beback, while there are also inaugural callsscheduled by TUI and Saga Cruises. The Port’slocation allows cruise guests to visit numerouslocal tourist attractions, including Bristol, theCotswolds, Roman ruins at Bath, Stonehenge andthe wonders of Wales.

Cruise trade uplift highlighted at Hamburg event

Pictured bottom left: MS Magellan leaving Royal Portbury Dock in September. Pictured right: Cruise Britain Reception in full swing at the Seatrade Europe 2019 conference in Hamburg.

NewsNovember 2019

Port celebrated at Docks Heritage Weekend The Port’s place at the heart of Bristol’s maritimehistory was celebrated last month by thousands ofvisitors to the Docks Heritage Weekend.

Held at the MShed by the Harbourside, it was anopportunity to take all generations on a journeyfrom the past to the present and showcase thewide range of work at the Port.David Brodie, one of the 6,500 visitors at thepopular annual event, said: “It is impressive to learnabout the eclectic mix of cargoes that the Porthandles and Bristol should be proud that we havethis in our city.”Bristol Port had a stand at an exclusive part of themuseum called the L Shed, which is not normallyopen to the public.Visitors were greeted by Director of External Affairsand Special Projects John Chaplin, GrahamRobertson Captain Jack Fryatt, CommercialManager Miles Adams, Motorshop AdministratorDanielle Luff and Quality Manager Phil Radfordwho kindly volunteered for the event, along withapprentices Ryan Brown and Teddy Powell.

Owls on the prowl: the new family happily settled at PortWhen an environmentally friendly team fromthe Port recycled junk from around the estateto create a set of bird boxes, little could theyhave imagined this. For last month it emergeda family of seven barn owl chicks have madethe old security camera posts their new home.Ornithologists from The Landmark Practicehave now safely ringed the chicks in thenesting box in Vole City, based in RoyalPortbury Docks. And the experts said thatjudging by how healthy and well fed they are,it appears the plentiful supply of voles in theenvironmental corridor is serving them well.Environment Manager Anne Hayes said it is thesecond year in a row the Port have had afamily of owls onsite. She said: “It suggests thispair of owls has had a very productive year!The owlets were ringed under a speciallicence which provides a harmless method ofhelping us to monitor their survival andmovements. It’s really unusual to have somany owlets (average is 2-3 chicks),particularly as a second brood, and the factthis is the second year in a row it has beenused is amazing.”

And in other environment news … trees in Avonmouth Dock’s environment corridor have started producing delicious pears. These ones pictured were picked and enjoyed by staff on their lunch break and at a Board Room lunch with guests!

Images of the owls captured in one of the many environment corridors at Royal Portbury Dock.

NewsNovember 2019

It is not unusual for Bristol Port to receiverequests from members of the public for Porttours, but one request was particularlyunusual. Christine Breddy from Virginia, USA,wanted to know if she could fly across theAtlantic to visit the site where her greatgrandmother left Bristol to start a new life109 years ago. The Port was intrigued – andmore than happy to oblige.

Christine said: “I was going through myGrandmother’s belongings and discoveredthe Royal Canadian Steamship LinePassenger List that had my great-grandmother, Belinda Breddy listed asleaving Bristol on November 8th 1910.This iswhy I wanted to go to Avonmouth Docks tosee where she left Bristol to go to Canada...Iwanted to follow in the footsteps.” It turns outno one in the Breddy family knows whyBelinda decided to leave her hometown ofBristol and start a new life in Canada, but itobviously worked out well as Belinda metBelinda

Following in great, great grandmother’s footsteps

NewsMarch 2019

NewsNovember 2019

her husband in Canada and they went on tohave a big family.

Speaking with local historian and ex Portphotographer Colin Momber, he said: “TheRoyal George would have carried a certainamount of cargo which would have beenloaded or discharged at S shed. However, Ibelieve passengers would have disembarkedin the locks as this is where the passenger railterminal was located and also the customsfacilities. I have seen photographs of theseships in the locks with their gangwaysextended on the shore. The Royal Georgewas a fine looking ship around 12,000 tonsgross.” Christine said: “I am so thankful for thePort doing this and I am so excited that I sawwhere the Royal George docked and leftBristol from. I have pictures of it and neverthought I would ever be able to stand wheremy great-grandmother did when leavingEngland! I am very appreciative the Portmade this happen.”

Shipping ForecastNovember 2019

• Discharging and loading containers into RPD and Avonmouth including MSC Nederland and MSC Suez

• Desert Oak discharging molasses

• Yeoman Bank discharging gypsum

• Marco Polo in Avonmouth Dock for Christmas events

• FL Levante discharging wood pellet

• At least 50 car carriers including Coral Leader, Tarisa, Crystal Ace, RCC Shanghai, Aquamarine Ace

• Ciudad De Cadiz loading project cargo

Staff and CommunityNovember 2019

Survey Vessel Isambard Brunel, made her voyage from the Port to thedrydock of the Albion Dockyard for maintenance last month. The newly re-opened Albion Dry Dock, formed following a partnership between the SSGreat Britain Trust and the Albion Dock Company, is located next to Brunel’siconic ss Great Britain in the Harbourside. Matthew Tanner, CEO of ss GreatBritain, said: “Together with the services already offered by the Underfall Yardand the Bristol Marina, a functioning Albion Dry Dock means Bristol can nowsupport an even broader range of high-quality maritime services.” The BristolPort Company is very proud to support this asset.

Isambard Brunel visits The Albion

Bristol Port hosted the annual visit of the UKHO (United Kingdom Hydrographic Office)International cartography students. The Port has been hosting these visits since 2001. Thevisit includes an hour presentation on the Port’s history, development and trades followedby how the Port undertakes hydrographic surveys and distributes the data acquired. This isthen followed up by a tour of both dock complexes, and a visit to the Signal Station.Normally the visit includes a trip on the SV Isambard Brunel, however Issy (pictured in thestory below) as she is fondly named by the Marine department, was in dry-dock at theAlbion Yard in the city. Ten students were hosted this time and they were from Latvia, Japan,Ecuador, Thailand, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Trinidad & Tobago, South Africa, Singapore andSlovenia. Although the weather was at its Avonmouth best, the students all thoroughlyenjoyed their visit to Bristol’s Global Gateway.

International students go behind the scenes at Bristol’s Global Gateway

A new BMX Club in LawrenceWeston (also known asL’Dub) is being run everySaturday from 10am-12pm byAccess Sport. L’Dub are onthe look out for volunteers tohelp assist with landscapingand gardening work at thetrack. If anyone is interestedplease get in touch:lucy.fisher@accesssport.co.uk

Clevedon College Careers Fair

Staff and CommunityNovember 2019

Bristol Port apprentices RyanBrown and Lewis Hannamhelped to showcase the Portat the Clevedon Careers Fairthat took place at ClevedonSchool. Speaking withstudents, parents andteachers, they did a great jobexplaining their roles and whythey love working at the Port.

Volunteers needed for L’Dub BMX club Staff party celebrates “trail blazing” success

More than 350 members of staffand their families enjoyed a StaffParty on board Brunel’s ss GreatBritain, which also provided anopportunity for manyachievements to be celebrated.Certificates were handed out tostaff that have taken the ILMcourse and other qualifications,and thanks given to families andpartners who have helpedsupport the students. WestonCollege, who provided the course,said: “Congratulations. Thisparticular

cohort is the trail-blazer for theentire country. The course has nowbeen rolled out throughout the UK,not just across the ports sector.This group has been higher thanthe national average and we atWeston College tip our hat! To getall merits and distinctions isvirtually unheard of”. The eveningcontinued with a hog roast anddancing, as Port Training InstructorSpencer Flay provided musicalentertainment with his eclectic mixof songs from Ed Sheeran toBeyonce.

Staff and CommunityNovember 2019

Bristol Port were proud to sponsor the recentSTARS and EPIC Awards, which celebrate theachievements of some of Bristol’s children in careand care leavers. Presenting the final award of theevening at the event at the Marriot Hotel in CollegeGreen, Bristol, Mayor Marvin Rees said: “Manychildren in care have had a chaotic or traumaticstart in life. As a city we must recognise theirachievements and the valuable contribution theymake to our communities and city. To achieve somuch in the face of such challenge must becelebrated.” (Not) a bridge too far for charity fundraisers

A team of 14 from Bristol Port and the STVAoffices at St. Andrew’s House, took on theBristol Bridge Challenge last month as part ofBristol Giving Day. The event is organised byQuartet Community Foundation and the Portdecided to raise funds by running and walkingacross the M5 Avonmouth Bridge. Sue Turner,CEO of Quartet Community Foundation, saidon Twitter “Thanks @bristolport- you took onthe longest bridge & conquered it #totalstars#BristolGivingDay”

Rugby win for Bristol Port Dockers fundraisers Inspired by the heroics of England’s WorldCup run (until the final) Bristol Port Dockersrugby team battled to victory againstGordano and in doing so raised a fantastic£1,450 for the Pill charity fundraising efforts.The aim was to raise money towardspurchasing two new Trinity 500 boatswhich will enable Pill Regatta to take placefor generations to come.

Port proud sponsors of children in care awards

We talk to Police Support Officer Neil Layland,and find out about his two latest recruits!

A day in the life of… Neil Layland, Police Support Officer

What is your main job?My main role is to conduct the day to day requirementsof the port policing and security within the port estates,to protect all persons, premises and cargo, as well as anyrequired emergency or contingency response.

What is the first thing you do when you get into work?The first thing is a cup of coffee followed by a hand overfrom the outgoing shift, about any problems they havehad, anything we need to be looking out for, etc.

What is a standard day like?It is normally an eight-hour shift but this can run over ifwe have problems or need to cover another officer.

What is your favourite thing about the job?I enjoy all aspects of the job, I am a people person, so theinteraction with general public is great. Like the cruisedays and most recently the open days with Avon andSomerset Constabulary. We had a great response withour search dogs.

Tell us more about the search dogs?The most significant thing that has happened to me in

my role is the introduction of the search dogs. Whatstarted off just as a training exercise has moved on tothem becoming part of the Port Police team!We have never had dogs in the history of the Port so alittle history has now been made. I have completed adiploma in dog training and I am now an instructor withUnited Kingdom Search Dogs.

Who are the new recruits?Alfie is a German Shepherd Collie, and he is 3 yearsold and is training to detect heroin, crack cocaine,cocaine cannabis, tobacco, ketamine and money.Alfie also knows how to track people down whomay have been involved in handling it.Max is a 9-month old German shepherd, very muchstill in training but can already detect cannabis,heroin and cocaine. Both dogs were rescued fromhomes as unwanted puppies and I like to think thatthey enjoy their new life as part of the Port Police.At the moment I am on the lookout for a Spaniel totrain and join the team but that's an ongoingproject.

What did you want to do when you wereyounger?I wanted to join the army but instead I joined theFire Service serving for 17 and a half years, I thenwent on to work with prisoners for 7 years andthen 5 years ago I joined the Port Police.

What is your least favourite thing abut your role?Well there isn’t really one! The Port is a great placeto work! But in the winter when its raining andsnowing it can get really chilly on patrol around theDock Estate!

A Day in the LifeNovember 2019

From left Alfie, PSO Neil and Max by Port Police vehicle.

NewsMarch 2019Picture of the Month

May 2019

Grand Benelux entering the lock inRoyal Portbury Dock, with 1,200 carsdue to be unloaded.

GalleryNovember 2019