Wynns record-breaking barge visits her spiritual home
Robert Wynn & Sons are making a return to South Wales where the company was established more than 140 years ago. Robert Wynn and Sons new concept heavy load vessel the Terra Marique is scheduled to off load her cargo at the Port of Barry tomorrow 9th February.
The Terra Marique is registered in Newport, one of five South Wales ports operated by Associated British Ports (ABP). This will be her first visit to South Wales where the company has long and deep routed connections. Her cargo is a 240 tonne generator transformer.
The Terra Marique is a specialist Lloyds classed vessel, uniquely designed to maximise the use of UK ports and commercial inland waterways. Robert Wynn & Sons received a £8.5m freight facilities grant from the Department for Transport which represented 99% of the cost of the design and build of the Terra Marique.
Launched in the presence of the Shipping Minister from the terrace of the Palace of Westminster less than two years ago, the Terra Marique has had a high profile first few years continuing the Robert Wynn & Sons tradition of achieving transportation 1sts.
The Terra Marique became the largest vessel upstream of the Westminster Bridge when carrying her first cargo the G-BOAA Concorde. The decommissioned aircraft was loaded amidst worldwide publicity in west London and transported along the river Thames en route to its destination at the National Museum of Flight near Edinburgh. The following month the Terra Marique became the largest vessel to navigate the River Trent upstream of Gainsborough in Lincolnshire.
Peter Wynn, Managing Director commented:
"Visiting the Port of Barry has given us a great opportunity to demonstrate to some of the many friends of Robert Wynn & Sons who still reside in South Wales, how we as a company have evolved.
Many will remember the road transport vehicles, which operated in the area in days when road space was less of a premium than today. The company firmly believes we are now playing our part in reducing the impact that such transport can cause through coastal shipping and inland waterways.”
John Fitzgerald, Port Director of ABP South Wales commented
"The return of the Terra Marique to her roots here in South Wales is good news for our old friends Robert Wynn & Sons, and for ABP. We hope to see the vessels calling regularly into our South Wales ports in the near future."
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