A TEESSIDE shipping company has recorded a 50pc growth in business over the past year.

Casper Shipping, in Middlesbrough, has started 2011 by signing two major new accounts with ship owners.

The company, which was founded in 1872, has 32 employees and additional offices in Immingham, Hull and Grangemouth.

At Teesport, it deals with more than 130 vessels a month and is exploiting major new markets such as shipping wind farm components and bio-products.

It has also put a five-year development plan in place to ensure expansion, despite challenging economic times.

Michael Shakesheff, managing director, said: “We operate in a competitive market that is dependent on world trade so we need to be highly proactive.

“Our major strength is the knowledge and expertise we have built up in nearly 140 years of operation.

“Some of our employees have been with us for 30 years, operating on the river for decades and are highly experienced.

“When a ship arrives in port an efficient and quick turn-around is absolutely vital as delays can cost owners up to 100,000 dollars a day.”

The company has worked closely with Sunderland-based Assessment North-East on improving business performance through Investors in People.

It believes it is one of the factors behind its consistent growth and, having achieved bronze status, is now going for gold.

Mr Shakesheff said: “The people we employ are the face of Casper Shipping. In some cases, they can be the first person a captain and his crew see after weeks at sea and they are invaluable.”

Casper, whose clients include BP Chemicals, Greenergy Fuels and Tata Steel, operates 365 days a year.

It has a specialist clearance department dealing with customs, which last year cleared 6,000 cargoes.

Casper Shipping’s sister company, Camair Freight Solutions, employs 14 at Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley airports.

Mr Shakesheff said: “We are proud of our company history and very committed to the region.

“We want to do everything we can to improve the local economy by bringing business to our Northern ports and airports as well as building our own company.”