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Management change for UK nuclear transport ships

Wednesday, 8 December 2021

The UK's specialist nuclear transport ships and their base in Barrow-in-Furness will be managed by AW Ship Management under a five-year contract announced today. The deal - worth GBP59 million (USD78 million) - concerns three ships owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority through its subsidiary Nuclear Transport Solutions.

Management change for UK nuclear transport ships — NTS ships the Pacific Egret and Pacific Heron at the company's Barrow facility (Image: NTS)

The ships are specialised for the transport of high-level waste and other nuclear material. AW Ship Management said it "will now deliver all technical and crew management services for the vessels, and a pool of around 130 seafarers."

NTS said the deal was signed earlier this month and noted that it includes two options for extension by a further two years. AW Ship Management will take over from the current service provider, Serco, in April 2022 and a handover period has begun.

NTS ships are operated by Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd, which is owned mainly by NTS and partly by the French nuclear fuel company Orano and a consortium of Japanese utilities which use its services.

"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," said AW Ship Management Managing Director Paul Trudgeon. "Our team consists of highly skilled maritime professionals who crucially know how to adapt their knowledge to reflect the needs of different, specialist vessels. We are looking forward to supporting the NTS team."

NTS Shipping Director Peter Buchan 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."