A Pacific Egret INF Class 3 nuclear waste carrier – Nuclear Transport Solutions
Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS) has awarded AW Ship Management a contract worth £59 million to manage its fleet of three specialist nuclear cargo vessels.
Following a competitive tender process, AW Ship Management will supply all technical and crew management services for the vessels, and a team of about 130 seafarers for an initial five-year deal. The London-based operator draws on over 100 years of experience in the UK and worldwide shipping markets, providing technical and crewing services to public sector and commercial shipping owners.
NTS is part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, whose fleet provides safe transport of nuclear materials for multiple clients worldwide.
A handover period is under way, with the full contract scope set to start from next April. AW Ship Management will now maintain a base in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, which has been the home port of NTS’s vessels for at least 40 years.
This appointment builds on AW Ship Management’s experience supporting UK government-owned and chartered vessels. This has included managing the Foreland Shipping Ro-Ro fleet on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and working with the government of St Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. The company also recently won a contract to manage the Research Vessel Cefas Endeavour for the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Paul Trudgeon, managing director of AW Ship Management, said: “We’ve developed a prominent position for our business supporting public sector fleets and this contract win is testament to our long-standing experience in the market. Our team consists of highly skilled maritime professionals who crucially know how to adapt their knowledge to reflect the needs of different specialist vessels.”
Peter Buchan, NTS’s shipping director, added: “The award of this contract demonstrates our continued commitment to providing safe, secure and reliable nuclear shipping solutions to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and our customers in Japan and around the world. I’m particularly pleased that the award of this contract to AW Ship Management represents a continued commitment to the Barrow community.”
