Appledore welcomed the latest in a run of cargo ships to Navantia UK’s New Quay dock over the weekend. The latest two ships arrived on back-to-back tides – making it the first time that two ships have called successively into the estuary for at least ten years.
“Sea Melody” approaches Appledore.
“Sea Melody” docks at New Quay dock.
The ‘Sea Melody’, an eighty-nine-metre bulk cargo ship, arrived at Newquay dock in Appledore on Friday 28 March, after sailing from Ghent, Belgium. The ship was carrying over 3,200 metric tons of animal feed pellets for a local agricultural supplies and equipment merchants, who will deliver the product to farms and their manufacturing sites in Devon.
Pilot cutter approaches “Fri Ocean”.
“Fri Ocean” approaches New Quay dock.
On Tuesday 1 April,’the ‘Fri Ocean’ was the 8th ship since September 2024 to call at Navantia New Quay in Appledore. Sailing from Rotterdam, the ship was carrying 1,800 tons of wheat gluten feed. The next cargo ships are due into Appledore at the end of April.
Both ships were expertly guided into Appledore by Torridge District Council’s Pilot, Paul Brown. The council through the Port of Bideford are the Competent Harbour Authority for the Taw and Torridge Estuary and are responsible for the safety of navigation and the provision of pilotage.
Torridge District Council and Navantia, in partnership with other agencies, have been working together over the last couple of months to explore the potential possibilities to reopen cargo passage by sea into Torridge. By transporting the product directly to Appledore, rather than other ports along the East or South coast of the UK, the company can eliminate more than 110 lorry journeys from regional roads (per cargo ship). The operation achieves impressive efficiency with a discharge rate of 150 tonnes per hour, enabling complete cargo transfer to ground transportation within a two-day timeframe.
Richard Haste, Operational Services Manager, Torridge District Council, said: “It’s fantastic to see the return of these cargo ships into New Quay, Appledore. These deliveries are making a very important contribution not only in terms of environmental sustainability but also in putting Appledore on the map as a working and useable port. With more ships due in at the end of the month, we look forward to working with our partners to continue to explore the options for welcoming more ships to the ports of Torridge”.
Head of Operations, Navantia UK Appledore, said: “This partnership demonstrates how maritime infrastructure can directly benefit local communities and businesses. By leveraging our existing facilities to support regional supply chains, we’re helping Devon businesses reduce their carbon footprint while improving access to essential supplies”.
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