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Terry (on the right) joined Geest in February 1995 and guided the company through the transition period into the world of advanced computer technology, aiding the company through IBM AS400 to Shipnet with SQL server technology and onto Flexship, a fully integrated business system. His programming knowledge as well as his business acumen promoted a culture of continuous improvement whilst ensuring that systems remained reliable in a time when developments were continuing at a pace with demands for the latest equipment.

Terry also supported Winfresh during the time of basic PC’s to the set up of the Southampton office and then the move to Stansted. Terry managed the implementation the development of communication and business systems between Stansted, Portsmouth and the Caribbean.

Terry was a well respected member of the team who will be looking to spend more time indulging his passion of sailing, once he has finished decorating the house! we wish him a long and happy retirement and he leaves with all our thanks for a job well done.

It was all smiles on the Football For Cancer (FFC) finals day as Team Kiwi hoisted the Roger Blake Trophy after winning the 2015 FFC competition. Having been considered underdogs for much of the tournament, Team Kiwi delivered when it mattered the most and cruised home 5-1 winners, defeating the tournament favourites in the final. Jim Mardle Geest Line’s Terminal Operations Co-ordinator commented ‘we dedicate this win to our great friend Alistair “Kiwi” Walker, Jim also congratulated his team mates by stating “Kiwi would have enjoyed this a great deal”  a month ago most of the players hadn’t even met and here we are wining the trophy. FFC is more than a football tournament, our team this year showed tremendous character, spirit and belief in each other. It’s real evidence that if you can join together with one purpose and combine hard work with great teamwork then anything is possible”. To date this years FFC tournament has raised in excess of £50,000 a fantastic amount for people in need of Cancer support in the local Portsmouth area.

Visit ‘FFC’ website at WWW.FFCEVENTS.COM Geest Line are proud to support local charities.

If you would like to donate please visit Jim’s Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/James-Mardle2/

Congratulations to Jim and all his team mates with support from family and friends for all their efforts not only on the pitch but fund raising and creating greater awareness for such a worthy cause..

 

 

We wish to congratulate both Lucy Lovegrove and Alison McCormick on their new roles within Geest line. Lucy has moved from our Documentation and Import Department to our Customer Services Team serving our export freight customers helping us to maintain our expected service levels to our clients.

Alison has joined our Documentation and Imports service team moving from our front line reception duties. Alison will be focusing on imports and all aspects of the export documentation processes bringing her usual vocal cheeriness to the team!

We welcome aboard Stephanie Janaway to the Geest Line family, Steph joins us as our company receptionist greeting all our visitors and callers with our typical friendly greetings as well as helping with our general administration.

We wish all three great success in their new positions (L to R we have – Alison McCormick, Lucy Lovegrove, Stephanie Janaway & Kevin Cool GM Commercial welcoming them aboard).

Geest Line would like to welcome Bilinda Leitch, who will be joining our Customer Services team as Geest continue to strengthen their client services.

Bilinda has a wealth of experience in the industry, including running a local freight forwarding agency. After sometime away from shipping she has finally returned to her shipping roots. We are pleased to welcome her onboard and with her passion and experience for customer service we know she will be a great asset.

We wish Bilinda success in her new role.

(L to R) Jeremy Bristow (Business Development Manager) & Bilinda

Geest Line welcomes Simon Figueira as the latest member of the IT department as Geest continue to invest in new systems. Simon brings with him 18 years of valuable experience in the IT sector after working for many years in the defence industry.

Simon will  provide valuable support to Geest Lines systems, applications , existing and potential IT services to all users.

In his spare time Simon enjoys travelling,  and always has a few trips planned throughout the year.

We wish Simon every success in his new role.

Geest Line bid farewell to Gordon Long (Treasury Accountant) following 20 years loyal service.

Gordon joined the company in 1994 for temporary cover, however despite our best efforts he managed to stay!.. all joking aside Gordon over the years has demonstrated a very high level of dilligence in his day to day work and efforts for the company. Outside of work Gordon enjoys (or suffers) following the trials and tribulations of his favourite and local football team Southampton FC, Gordon has been known in the past to play abit himself and became a regular 5-a-side organiser and player.

Here we see Gordon receiving from Chris Roberts (Finance Director) a new pace maker (otherwise known as a Garmin Forerunner) a GPS watch which Gordon will be able to test to destruction on his road running jaunts around the streets and parks of Southampton.

All staff at Geest Line past & present wish Gordon (Longo) all the very best in his well earned retirement..

Bart Bodart Line Manager for De Keyser Thornton (DKT) Antwerp, Geest Line agent and representative recently visited the UK head office for discussions and to visit the UK base port for Geest Line of Portsmouth. In 2014 Geest Line started a limited service from Antwerp, Belgium via Portsmouth to the Eastern Caribbean shipping exclusively 40′ Reefer containers. DKT have become an invaluable asset to Geest Line and although there is limited space on this service we hope that in the future the service will be further enhanced.

Here we see Bart Bodart (DKT) & Jeremy Bristow (Geest Line) on the quay at Portsmouth.

Geest Line recently sent three members of the team on a short trip on board the Timor Stream to visit both Portsmouth and Le Havre. The three adventurers were Lucy Lovegrove (imports), Alison McCormick (reception) and James Norton (Customer Services) and they experienced the life and working of a vessel.

All three adventurers remarked on how worthwhile the experience of gaining knowledge of a busy working port both in Portsmouth and Le Havre, and  taking in the sights and sounds of  busy working ports.

The vessel left Portsmouth at 1600 hrs, where they proceeded to the bridge of the vessel where they met the Pilot and watched as the vessel was guided out of the harbour by tugs.  Timor Stream arrived in Le Havre around midnight, and work started on the vessel at 05.30 the next morning.  Alison, James & Lucy were invited to the bridge where they watched the discharge and loading of the ship.

After breakfast they were met by Guillaume Boutigny of SAS, Geest Lines agent in Le Havre who took them on a tour of the port and facilities. Our thanks to Guillaume and all at SAS who made this possible.

Lucy – “It was nice to put faces to names and to see how different the two ports works (Portsmouth and Le Havre)”

Alison – “We had some free time to explore the town of Le Havre and to sample some local cuisine, a great trip”

James – “We had the pleasure of having lunch with some of the staff from SAS before some free time to explore the town. This was a very useful and enjoyable trip”

All in all a very enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

We welcome Chileshe Musonda as the latest recruit to the Geest Line finance team.

Chileshe, known to his colleagues as “Chilie” has over 15 years of experience working in accounts and is currently studying his final exams towards the ACCA qualification. We know Chile will settle into his new position with the company as Financial Accountant.

Outside of work Chile enjoys both playing and watching football, we all wish him well in his new role.

Hayley Rolfe, Geest Line Container Operations and Transport Supervisor, became Mrs Selby on the 4th of April 2014. Hayley and Matt, a former Geest Line employee, started dating in 2007. They celebrated their special day with close family at the Old House Hotel, Wickham.

We wish them all the happiness for their future as Mr & Mrs Selby.