Assisted by the Svitzer tug, Rowangarth, the 17,357 gross tons self-discharging bulk carrier, Sandnes, berthed at Greenwells Quay during the early hours, to discharge assorted grades of crushed granodiorite (similar to granite) from Jelsa in Norway.

Owned by HJH Ship Management of Leer, Germany, the vessel is time
chartered to Stema Shipping (part of the Stema/Mibau Group) and was built at Hamburg's Sietas shipyard in 2005. The boom of her gravity belt unloading system can reach 73.25 metres from the ship's side.

Situated in the Jelsa fjord, just north of Stavanger, Jelsa is Scandinavia's largest quarry and has about 350 million tonnes of reserves.

Operated by Norsk Stein A/S on behalf of Stema/Mibau, the quarry produced almost five million tonnes of granodiorite aggregate in 2007.

Plans to upgrade facilities could see a significant increase in production.

To avoid leaving scars on the Norwegian landscape, quarried land is restored for agricultural and industrial purposes.

Although having a number of uses, the aggregate is stockpiled at Greenwells Quay for use by Northumbrian Roads Ltd in connection with road construction and maintenance contracts.

Following reports that Hendon Dock-based Sunderland Oil Storage Ltd (a joint BP-Chevron enterprise) is to close (Echo, September 14), the last refined oil products cargo from BP's Grangemouth refinery arrived at the end of November on board the 3,248 gross tons tanker, Border Thistle.

However, occasional cargoes are still being delivered from Immingham, with James Fisher Everard's 3,589 gross tons tanker, Speciality, arriving from the North Lincolnshire port on Sunday afternoon. It is not known how long these shipments will continue.

Another James Fisher Everard-operated tanker, the 3,017 gross tons, Sarnia Liberty, was in port on January 9, when she berthed for underwater survey at East Quay, Hendon Dock, while en route from the Isle of Barra to Immingham.

Previously operated by BP Shipping, Border Thistle and sister-ship, Border Tartan, are now reported to be part of Fisher Everard fleet.

Sunday's third visitor was the 2,474 gross tons cargo ship, Flinterbirka, which arrived from Varberg in Sweden. She was carrying a consignment of woodpulp, which was discharged at Hendon Dock on Monday.

The vessel is a member of the Dutch-based Flinter Shipping group, having been built at Gdansk, Poland, in 2006.

After spending two weeks in dry dock, the passenger vessels, River Escapes Fortuna and River Escapes Latis, sailed from the Wear on Monday to return to the Tyne.

Following completion by Wear Dock and Engineering (Echo, December 1), the prototype Neptune Proteus tidal power generator is still awaiting shipment to Hull.