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Feature, Freight News, Inland waterway


Barge firm puts Leeds back on the shipping map

[ March 1, 2023   //   ]

An inland vessel operated by MMS Workboats is returning commercial traffic to the Aire and Calder Canal in Yorkshire.

Following a significant investment by the Hull-based firm and extensive trials, the 500-tonne capacity barge MMS Off-Roader has been transporting marine aggregate from ABP Humber’s Albert Dock to Knostrop’s site in Leeds for onforwarding to West Yorkshire’s building industry.

Each trip takes over 18 heavy goods vehicles off the roads, a figure that will increase if commercial traffic using waterways grows as expected.

David Lowe of the Commercial Boat Operators Association said: “Commercial traffic is returning to the Aire and Calder Canal after a lot of hard work by a lot of people. Britain’s waterways are an underused part of the transport network, with an ability to deliver heavy goods in a quiet but efficient way that helps keep heavy lorries off the roads. The run of MMS Off-Roader to Leeds is something to celebrate and is the largest vessel to reach central Leeds for 30 years.”

MMS managing director, Rob Langton, added: “As a key part of the local marine industry MMS are very happy to get this ship underway with what we hope is the first of a regular trade for the building industry of West Yorkshire. It is a shipment that takes heavy good vehicles off our pressurised road network, a win for logistics and the wider environment.”

The historic Aire and Calder Navigation has not had regular commercial traffic to Leeds for over 10 years. The MMS Off-Roader was originally a tanker named the Humber Princess built in Hull in 1979 and was converted by MMS’s skilled team.

An important part of the work was to ensure the crew operating the MMS Off-Roader have superior facilities onboard, as they journey along the waterways.

MMS can offer the MMS Off-Roader free of charge for any trial runs with no obligation. For more information email: rlangton@mms-workboats.co.uk

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