Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Record Breaking Year At Irish Sea Port of Silloth

8th January 2019
The deck hatch covers where beneath wheat was carried on the ‘Blue Six’ en-route to the Port of Silloth, located on the Irish Sea along the Solway Firth which borders England and Scotland. The deck hatch covers where beneath wheat was carried on the ‘Blue Six’ en-route to the Port of Silloth, located on the Irish Sea along the Solway Firth which borders England and Scotland. Credit: AB Ports

#ports - According to Associated British Ports (ABP) which operates the Port of Silloth on the Irish Sea, has celebrated a record-breaking year in 2018 by handling the highest cargo volumes since 2015.

This year the north-west English port handled a total of around 156,000 tonnes of cargo, representing nearly a 20% growth in tonnage volumes since 2017.

In addition, in December, the vessel ‘Blue Six’ (pictured above) carried more than 3,700 tonnes of French wheat became the fifth largest delivery to enter the port since official records began in the 19th century. The wheat was processed at Carr’s Flour Mill, a thriving business and important local employer, founded more than 180 years ago.

The top spot for Silloth’s largest cargo delivery is still held by the ‘Arklow Venture’ (see launch) which transported over 4,200 tonnes of bulk fertiliser from Antwerp to Silloth in March 2014.

Carl Bevan, ABP Divisional Port Manager – North West, said: “We are pleased to report that the Port of Silloth has had an excellent year, handling 58 piloted ships and exceeding expectations thanks to the positive performance of our customers and colleagues.”

“We also opened our new ground-mounted solar farm in May 2018 which allows ABP Port of Silloth to generate more electricity than it consumes with all surplus green electricity being exported to the National Grid.”

Published in Ports & Shipping
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

Email The Author

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

Direct Donation to Afloat button