The business community based in and around Pembroke Port is diverse, from our own team to businesses involved in the marine, engineering and many other support industries.
In our regular feature, we like to introduce you to the People of Pembroke Port, shining the spotlight on individuals who work for businesses located in and around the former Royal Dockyard.
This month, we are delighted to share an interview with Toby Forester, Assistant Manager at Williams Shipping, who tells us about the business specialisms, the experienced team based at Pembroke Dock and future plans to support the expanding renewable energy sector.
Name: Toby Forester
Business name: Williams Shipping
Job role: Assistant Manager
How long have you worked here? 6 months
Please tell us about your company, your products and services, and your team
Williams Shipping have been trading for over 125 years. Our base in Pembroke Port opened in 2004, after moving just over the water from Milford Docks.
From our base in Pembroke Port, we operate an extensive fleet of marine vessels and equipment, all maintained to the highest standards. They are used for a wide range of projects, including surveys, offshore energy, towage and supporting marine civils.
To complement our fleet of vessels, we also have a comprehensive range of barges, mooring and deck equipment available to charter.
We also operate a fleet of cranes including crawler cranes and knuckle boom cranes. Our crawler cranes can work on our quaysides or be mobilised to any site by land or water.
We also sell and hire shipping containers and cabins through our sister company WILLBOX, and we offer haulage solutions nationwide.
Our team at Pembroke Port have a huge amount of experience and knowledge, some having worked for us for over 30 years! We have recently taken on two more apprentices to help pass on those skills to younger generations. Our training ethos encourages progression and ensures our staff are always up to date with the latest industry standards.
What are the best things about being a business based at Pembroke Port?
We love being based at Pembroke Port. We are able to put to sea at all states of tide to assist ships, provide port services and respond to emergency situations 24 hours a day. We have access to large quayside areas which enable us to cater to large projects utilising big and heavy machinery. The 24 hour security team also make us feel safe and secure at all times.
What’s next for your business?
We are very excited about the expanding renewable energy sector at Pembroke Port. We have recently launched our new website www.pembrokemarinerenewables.co.uk
We are looking forward the Pembroke Dock Marine developments and continuing our support in the deployment of the Erebus offshore floating windfarm and associated projects.
Is there anything else that you would like readers to know about Williams Shipping?
Our local team at Pembroke Dock are highly skilled in marine services and have a wealth of local knowledge. With equipment and vessels based on the Haven, the team are able to respond 24/7.