Freight services driving the St Mary’s Town Hall & Cultural Centre transformation

Our freight team provides year-round logistics solutions to support projects on the Isles of Scilly. From July 2024, we have been working with construction partner Stepnell on the St Mary’s Town Hall and Cultural Centre redevelopment, delivering shipping, delivery and storage services.

Since then, we have transported 16 modular accommodation units from the mainland, using our 22‑metre landing craft, Gugh, to enable direct to shore offloading. Isles of Scilly Freight has also delivered 400 bulk bags of aggregate, a substantial amount of fencing for the working area and a range of mechanical equipment, including a concrete batching plant, mechanical wheelbarrows and a telehandler forklift.

In addition, we have shipped 175 tonnes of scaffolding, two kitchen units, 75 tonnes of steel beams for the main structure, with Island Carriers supporting the erection of the steel frame and hundreds of tonnes of other building materials.

The transportation of goods for this project is expected to continue through to June 2026.

Project manager from Stepnell, said: “After initial negotiations between Stepnell and various transportation suppliers regarding requirements for both Penzance and St Mary’s, it quickly became apparent that the logistics would be highly complex. It was clear that the project would require the intricate coordination of several different companies. Following individual meetings with various suppliers, it became evident that the proposal from the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group was by far the simplest and most cost-effective solution. Not only did the Steamship Group offer the best value, but the level of service provided stood out significantly. They were able to offer a comprehensive “one-stop-shop” service that far exceeded the offerings of their competitors.

“Due to this streamlined service — which has operated almost seamlessly from June 2024 to date — our company utilises both the Steamship Group’s freight services and their on-island subsidiary, Island Carriers. Isles of Scilly Steamship Group manages all our deliveries from Penzance or Hayle to our site on St Mary’s. They also provide essential storage solutions, allowing us to bulk-store materials on the island. Island Carriers undertake all the deliveries once the freight reaches St Mary’s. The shipping, and movements from Hayle, are undertaken by Isles of Scilly Steamship Company

“In addition to our partnership with Island Carriers, the transparent service received from the on-island team is second to none. Beyond material delivery, Island Carriers provides specialised lifting services; this has allowed us to further minimise the need for additional outside contractors.

“Overall, through their professionalism and expertise, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has gone above and beyond. From the initial material requirements to final arrival on-site, the service coordinated by Isles of Scilly Freight has been exemplary.”