Colin McLoughlin (image courtesy of ABP/David Lee Photography)
Associated British Ports (ABP) Humber has welcomed Colin McLoughlin to the role of Head of Operations at the ports of Hull and Goole.
Colin comes to the post with a wealth of experience in the ports industry following eight years spent working within the bulks department of Peel Ports in his native Liverpool.
Prior to his tenure at Peel Ports, Colin spent 15 years working for family owned terminal operator Stanton Grove in their forestry products division. After joining the company straight from school Colin had progressed to Stevedoring Manager by the time he left to join Peel Ports in 2007.
“After leaving school at 16 I joined Stanton Grove as a Junior Warehouse Assistant, ” said Colin. “I didn’t have a career plan but the company supported me and I progressed. I loved working with different people and in different port locations, dealing with a variety of management structures.”
When a vacancy for a Deputy Terminal Manager became available, Colin made the move over to Peel Ports where he felt he could further progress his career. By 2013 he was Terminal Manager within the company’s bulks operation responsible for a team of over 50 people.
Colin continued: “I arrived as Peel Ports was going through a period of change and I saw it as an opportunity to use my experience to progress further. Again I was well supported by the company and I was able to work my way up through the ranks.”
In early 2015 the Head of Operations role at ABP Humber became vacant and Colin decided to apply as it would give him the opportunity to work for the UK’s number one ports operator.
He believes his experience will allow him to make a tangible difference to the operations department and improve the performance of the business.
Colin said: “I’m really looking forward to getting to know the business and the operations team here at ABP and working with colleagues to improve performance and give our customers the best possible service.”
ABP Port Manager for Hull & Goole Mark Frith said: “We’re extremely fortunate to have Colin leading our operations department. He brings with him a wealth of experience that will be extremely valuable as he sets about developing the team.
“I’m confident he’ll make a real difference to operations on the Humber by sharing best practise and working to exceed our customers’ expectations.”
ABP is the UK’s leading ports operator with 21 ports and other transport related businesses creating a unique national network capable of handling a vast array of cargo.
Around one quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade passes through ABP’s Statutory Harbour Areas. ABP contributes £5.6 billion to the UK economy every year and supports 84, 000 jobs. Our current investment programme promises to deliver an extra £1.75 billion for the economy every year.
ABP…
- · Handled over 1.6 million vehicles in 2014.
- · Generates around one quarter of the UK’s rail freight
- · Has 1.4 million square metres of covered storage
- · Has 1000 hectares of open storage
- · Handled 94.5m tonnes of cargo in 2014
- · Owns 5000 hectares of port estate
- · Has 87km of quay
Over the next five years, ABP is investing over £650 million in a wide range of major projects across the group.
ABP Humber
The four ports of Grimsby, Immingham, Hull and Goole handle more than 63 million tonnes of cargo between them each year.
Grimsby and Immingham form the UK’s busiest trading gateway and move around 51 million tonnes of cargo per annum.
£130-plus million is currently being invested in the biomass handling terminal in Immingham, in a Humber-wide agreement with Drax Power Ltd that has seen £25 million invested in a biomass handling facility in Hull. The Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal handles sustainable biomass shipments and will create over 100 permanent jobs once complete. The construction phase created 100 employment opportunities.
The Port of Hull handles 10 million tonnes of cargo per annum and is the is the focal point for the development of the UK’s largest offshore wind turbine manufacturing, construction, assembly, and service facility, which will be located on the Port’s Alexandra Dock. This new facility represents a £310 million investment and will create up to 1000 direct jobs.
The Grimsby River Terminal represents an investment of £26 million and allows large car-carrying ships to berth outside the Port’s lock system. This development confirms the Port’s position as the UK’s leading automotive handling facility.
More than the equivalent of 1million teus (twenty foot equivalent unit) of unitised trade is shipped through ABP Humber ports.
Ro-ro and container traffic represents more than 30 sailings a week to Europe, Scandinavia the Baltic and beyond.
The Humber ports handle more than 70 freight train movements per day.
Goole is situated 50 miles upriver and is the UK’s premier inland port. It handles over one million tonnes of cargo annually.
