LOGISTICS
Local – Ryan says community engagement is part of ASCO ’ s plans .
Development – ASCO has been appointed as the exclusive provider of quayside management services for Steel River Quay , a newly constructed 450-metre heavy-lift quay at Teesworks .
There ’ s so much potential for young people in this industry and I acknowledge that shipping and logistics aren ’ t careers that most people actively consider .
He worked as a skipper for two years before the company was bought out by CSG , where he continued his role .
However , years of early mornings and battling harsh weather took their toll .
“ After years of being rained on sideways and getting up at 2am , the role was wearing thin ,” he laughs .
“ So I reached out to LV Shipping , who were looking for a ship ’ s agent . I was taken on as a trainee and eventually became a fully fledged agent .”
During Covid , when several of the team retired or chose to leave , Ryan stepped up to manage the agency for a year , specialising in offshore project vessels , and looking after E . ON and MPI wind farm mobilisations and demobilisations .
Later moving to AV Dawson , he managed the offshore projects contracts primarily for Prysmian Powerlink ’ s vessels .
After 18 months a former colleague made the fateful call to say ASCO was looking to open an office on Teesside and asked if he would be interested .
“ ASCO told me , ‘ We ’ re opening an agency – there ’ s only a desk and a seat at the moment . Do you want to be our operations and business development manager and see what you can do ?’
“ It was a leap of faith , but one worth taking .”
Ryan subsequently helped ASCO establish an office in Sunderland and secured contracts with North Star and Equinor for the Dogger Bank project , which laid the foundation for further growth and a move “ down the road ” to Teesside .
In 2023 the company was awarded preferred partner status for Teesworks , and by the summer of 2024 , it officially secured the highly sought-after contract .
In just 12 years , and at 32 years of age , Ryan has gone from sweeping ships decks as a deckhand to being a business development manager with a glittering future ahead .
“ It was a real ‘ pinch me ’ moment ,” he reflects .
The success at Teesworks led to the establishment of ASCO ’ s central UK location , bridging the gap between its strongholds in Peterhead and Aberdeen in the north and Great Yarmouth in the south .
The decision is already bringing strong economic benefits to the local community .
“ We currently have three operational squads ,” Ryan explains . “ A management team , plus three teams of 11 – a supervisor , two crane operators and eight forklift drivers / riggers .
“ We ’ re taking on another squad in mid- March , bringing the total to 46 , and we expect to reach 65-70 direct jobs at the port by summer .”
ASCO has also moved an environmental tanker into the area and has plans to establish a warehouse for materials management and storage for offshore clients . Marine fuel provisions are also under review .
“ At ASCO , our recruitment focus is always on local talent ,” Ryan states .
“ We started the Teesworks mobilisation team with staff from Aberdeen and Great Yarmouth , but we hired locally .
“ Now , the team is fully run by people from Middlesbrough , Hartlepool , Stockton and Redcar , supported by head office , who are committed to workforce development , offering specialised training programmes to ensure all employees meet the highest industry standards .”
Community outreach is also on ASCO ’ s radar .
“ We are actively engaging with the local community by sponsoring New Marske ’ s under-nines football team and Kirkleatham Special School ’ s wind turbine modelbuilding challenge , but we want to do more with schools ,” he says .
“ There ’ s so much potential for young people in this industry and I acknowledge that shipping and logistics aren ’ t careers that most people actively consider .
“ Hardly anyone leaves school thinking , ‘ I want to work in shipping and ports ’. But ASCO wants to change that .”
The company is planning collaborations with key industry and educational groups , including the Tees Maritime Cluster , the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers ( led by Nikki Sayer ), the High Tide Foundation and Stockton Riverside College , which has launched a maritime course in partnership with the shipbrokers ’ northern branch .
“ All of these initiatives highlight that career opportunities in this sector are right on our doorstep ,” says Ryan . “ My journey , though unorthodox , is certainly proof of that .”
Visit ascoworld . com .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 115