LOGISTICS
Important work – PD Ports’ £ 24m Emerald Duchess, powered by green fuel, helps to keep silt at bay in the Tees.
We’ re on the water within minutes – that’ s the kind of assurance our stakeholders deserve. Only one other port in the UK matches this capability.”
Key role – Chris Stocks was appointed marine director this summer.
equipment and trained crews ready to act.
“ While many UK ports outsource these services, we’ re not waiting days for a contractor to arrive,” says Chris.
“ We’ re on the water within minutes – that’ s the kind of assurance our stakeholders deserve. Only one other port in the UK matches this capability.”
Chris’ s team manages every element of keeping the river open and the economy moving.
“ Infrastructure only matters if it’ s reliable,” he says.“ We’ ve got the people, the equipment and the knowledge right here. If you need it dredged, surveyed or made safe, we can do it.” The other half of river management lies with the Harbour Office.
Led by Captain Paul Brooks in his statutory role as harbour master, the team operates from a modern vessel traffic services centre based near Middlesbrough’ s iconic Transporter Bridge.
Using radar and CCTV, they coordinate the safe navigation of ships in and out of the river while ensuring compliance with safety and environmental rules.
They also manage the flow of information between shipping companies, customs, crews and berth operators, and play a central role in coordinating incident response across the river community.
The Harbour Office and Marine Business Unit are inseparable, working in partnership to ensure the river runs safely and efficiently.
Chris and Paul collaborate daily – aligning survey, dredging and marine operations with vessel traffic management and wider regulatory duties.
Together, their teams provide the assurance that the River Tees, the lifeblood of the Tees Valley, remains the North’ s leading gateway for international trade.
Asked where he sees the Marine Business Unit in five years, Chris is clear.
“ Benchmark for excellence,” he says.“ That means embracing innovation – from survey technology to emissions monitoring – while building the culture and discipline needed for consistent, safe delivery.”
It also means being part of the region’ s regeneration story.
“ The river’ s been central to Teesside for 200 years,” he says.
“ Our job is to make sure it stays that way – for commerce, for communities and for the environment.”
For a department whose work is mostly unseen, the stakes could not be higher. But Chris seems unfazed.
“ It’ s a privilege,” he says.“ We’ re just custodians for now. The river will be here long after us.”
The voice of business in the Tees region | 45