Clarkson Port Services (CPS), a division of global shipping firm Clarkson Group PLC, has enjoyed a strong presence in Scotland for the best part of two decades.
In 2011, the firm acquired Aberdeen-based shipping agency Enship as it looked to expand into offshore energy, after initial success in oil and gas.
CPS has already secured and completed a number of large contracts, most notably the Moray East Offshore Wind Farm in the Moray Firth. Having supported the initial pricing and surveys, the company was awarded the latter stages of the project – covering turbine transport and installation – in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It was a huge achievement for us given that we were all locked down at the time,” said Paul Young, account manager – offshore energy.
“The ability to meet clients at events, or in person, was taken from us so we had to improvise and adapt to ensure continued support to our clients.
“It proved that all the hard work we’d been doing in the background had really helped.”
CPS has since fulfilled a cabling contract for the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm, located 27km off the coast of Angus, which encompassed multiple ships and ports including Aberdeen, Montrose and Peterhead.
More recently, it won key tenders on the Moray West Offshore Wind Farm and hopes to secure further work on the project, which is now in the construction phase.
The initial contract included support with customs documentation, which CPS now offers as a specialist service for developers.
“Brexit came and went, and there’s been a lot of change,” said Paul. “We realised many clients don’t have customs expertise within their own company. That’s where Clarksons came in.
“We offered our customs consultancy package to the developer, explaining how we can write their processes and procedures for the import of windfarm components, as well as saving them money.”
Several members of the Scotland team, including Paul, have prior experience of working ‘client-side’.
He believes this gives CPS a competitive advantage and will continue to stand it in good stead in the future. “We have worked in the offshore industry – on both sides of the fence.
We’ve got the experience of working for tier one contractors, so we get it. We understand their wants and needs when it comes to port services.”
This is backed up by a high level of service, no matter the size of the client.
“We’re very confident in our ability to give an excellent service to our clients, and the fact they keep coming back is testament to that,” said Paul.
“We make sure to treat every client the same.” With several offices across the country and the financial backing of the Clarkson Group, CPS is in a strong position to support further projects off the Scottish coast.
“There is a lot of work impending, and we are ready to support it,” said Paul.
For more information or to make an enquiry, please visit clarksons.com/port-services or contact the team on cps@clarksons.com
Focus on Fotios
Fotios Vasilopoulos is an agency manager for Clarkson Port Services (CPS) in Aberdeen. He joined CPS in September 2019, having previously worked for a company that specialises in vending and servicing ullage temperature interface (UTI) units and gas meters.
“Through that job, I gained experience within the global shipping market, marine safety requirements and relevant regulation compliance,” said Fotios.
In his role at CPS, Fotios is responsible for overseeing and coordinating various activities related to port operations and services on behalf of clients.
“Smooth port operations are vital for global supply chains, ensuring goods and services are delivered on time and without disruptions,” he explained.
Fotios has supported numerous energy projects in his four years at CPS, including the electrical infrastructure installation at the Seagreen wind farm.
“My team and I also assisted the delivery of the wind farm components to the assembly site,” he said. With his team currently supporting the construction of the Neart Na Gaoithe (NNG) and Moray West wind farms, Fotios enjoys the breadth of projects and challenges he is exposed to at CPS.
“The shipping industry can be fast-paced and challenging, with constantly evolving market conditions,” he said. “Working at Clarkson Port Services provides an exciting and dynamic work environment, which is keeping me engaged and motivated.”
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