Enabling the water infrastructure upgrade across all five islands

Our dedicated freight team is proud to be involved in one of the largest infrastructure projects on the islands in recent years, offering a “one-stop-shop” for freight and passenger logistics.

We are the sole transport provider for the movement of materials, plant, equipment, modular buildings and people to set up a site compound near Parting Carn Farm on St Mary’s for a four-year Southwest Water upgrade project, which is being carried out by design and build contractor, Mott MacDonald Bentley (MMB).

The project will improve the waste and clean water network across all five islands.

In August 2025, we began shipping 950 bags of aggregate and significant quantities of plant and equipment. In September 2025, we began shipping 33 modular cabins, which will make up the “village” to be used as the hub of operations for the next four years and includes sleeping pods, offices, a canteen, recreation room and toilet block.

Doug Tosh, Site Agent for MMB, said: “Everything we need to deliver this project successfully has been transported by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group. It’s made such a difference to have an end-to-end service, from shipping to storage solutions on the mainland and on St Mary’s, passenger flights for the workforce and final mile deliveries from Island Carriers.

“There are significant challenges working on a project of this size in the middle of the Atlantic, namely logistics and weather. To have the depth of knowledge and expertise across the team at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has been invaluable in overcoming these challenges.

“We have developed relationships with all members of the freight team. To be able to lean on them, to ask for guidance, to pick up the phone and talk has helped us enormously.”