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#Industry News

UK Docks awarded

Maritime services provider UK Docks has been recognised for its expanding marine work on the Tyne, Wear and now Tees in the North East of England with a major industry award.

Founded in Tyneside in 1995, the dry dock specialists - who are also the sole UK and Ireland agents for ship propulsion companies Brunvoll AS and Steerprop Ltd - has consistently grown in size and scale.

Now a national company running ship and boat repair facilities, UK Docks has worked to bring Middlesbrough dockside back to working life. Last year the company re-opened derelict dry docks on the Tees which had lain dormant for more than two decades, investing heavily in bringing them back up to operational use in double-quick time.

The achievement has now been officially recognised by the Joint Branch of the Royal Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology, and Royal Institution of Naval Architects.

“UK Docks Marine Services deserve enormous credit for taking a very brave step in Middlesbrough,” said John Eltringham, awards committee member. “When I first started out in the marine business in the North East in the 1980’s there were 27 dry docks in the region. Now there are only a handful. So it was a sign of great ambition and determination for UK Docks to take over mothballed dry docks in Teesside last year and bring them back to life.”

UK Docks managing director Harry Wilson, who collected the award with sons Jonathan, Gary and Chris - all involved in running parts of the business - described it as a great honour.

He said: “This is the second time we’ve won it, the first was when we re-opened the dry dock at Sunderland in 2002. And it is nice to think that all these years later we are still re-opening docks in the North East. We’re very proud of what we are doing in Middlesbrough. And we’re pleased to be in a position to keep bringing business, jobs and security to the North East in one of its traditional industries.”

UK Docks also operates out of yards on the south coast of England, at Gosport and Davenport, and in the North West at Whitehaven.

Details

  • Sunderland, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear SR1 2EE, UK
  • UK Docks