Peel Ports Group has appointed Jamie Strain as its new Port Director in Scotland, leading the Peel Ports Clydeport business and overseeing its key Scottish sites, including Hunterston PARC in Ayrshire, KGV Dock in Glasgow and the Port of Greenock.

Peel Ports Group is headquartered in Liverpool, England, and operates as the UK's second-largest port group, handling more than 70 million tonnes of cargo annually. The group reported revenue of £694 million and EBITDA of £373 million for the year to March 2024.

Strain was previously Site Lead General Manager at one of Britain's largest Amazon distribution centres, in Dunfermline, a depot the size of 17 football pitches with four miles of conveyor belts and more than 3,000 staff. He replaces Port Director Jim McSporran, who is retiring from the role later this month.

The structural driver is Peel Ports' ongoing redevelopment of Hunterston PARC, expected to attract £3.5 billion in inward investment and create over 5,000 jobs, alongside recent capacity upgrades at King George V Dock and new ship-to-shore cranes at Greenock.

Strain began his career at Tesco, spending 13 years with the retailer before joining Amazon as an operations manager, progressing through senior roles before becoming Site Lead General Manager at Dunfermline, where he spent six-and-a-half years, including a period of rapid growth in online retail demand during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Strain said, "I'm proud to be joining Peel Ports and to have the opportunity to lead the Peel Ports Clydeport business at such an exciting time. From my first conversations with the business, I was really impressed by its people and culture, as well as attracted by the opportunity to help develop and grow the business."

David Huck, chief operating officer at Peel Ports Group, said, "It's great to welcome Jamie into the role of our new Port Director in Scotland, he was the standout candidate for the position. His experience and expertise make him a perfect fit for this role as we prepare to further grow the business."

The Port of Greenock has installed two £25 million ship-to-shore cranes manufactured in Ireland by Liebherr within the past two years, alongside £3 million invested last year to expand King George V Dock's capacity to handle large wind turbine components.

For the sector, the appointment reflects the value UK ports place on recruiting leaders with major e-commerce and retail logistics experience as freight volumes diversify.

Source: Afloat.ie / Peel Ports Group