Hundreds of jobs at the Coryton oil refinery in Essex are under threat after Swiss owner Petroplus said it would file for bankruptcy.

Administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers says the priority is for work to continue at the refinery without disruption.

Other firms say they will still be able to supply fuel, but petrol retailers fear diesel prices will spike.

Energy Minister Charles Hendry said there was no need to stock up on fuel.

General Traffic

All European and Irish traffic will need to be loaded weekend of 16th December 2011 any other times will need to be agreed with the traffic office prior to booking the load.

Scotland

-Northern Scotland last loading day will be Tuesday 20th December 2011.
-Southern Scotland last loading day will be Wednesday 21st December 2011.

Wales and England

-Wales and England last loading times will depend on mileage Northern England, Kent, East Anglia last loading time 22nd December 2011 am.
-All other destinations will need to be loaded by 22nd December 2011 pm.

We will be able to cover work between Christmas and New Year with prior notice.
Transport office will be open 28th December to 30th  December 2011, so if you need warehousing or Logistics please call the main number 01749 880333. Outside of these times the phone line will be diverted to our on call member of Staff.

Please note that there is a bank holiday in Scotland on Tuesday 3rd January 2012, therefore first deliveries will be on Wednesday 4th January 2012.

If you require any further assistance over this period please speak to Matt Loxton, Andy Tuck or Martin Glover who will be happy to help with any enquiries you may have.

Happy Christmas from all at Willmottsdjb!

Please see below the details of the Palletforce Christmas and New Year holidays, 2011 / 12.

-The last trunking night into the Hub prior to Christmas will be Friday 23rd December 2011.
-All consignments input on Friday 23rd December 2011 on an A service for delivery on  Saturday 24th December 2011 will be subject to a Saturday a.m. surcharge
-All consignments input on Friday 23rd December 2011 on an A service must be delivered on Tuesday 3rd January 2012
-All consignments input on Friday 23rd on a B service must be delivered on or by Wednesday 4th January 2012
-The first trunking night into the Hub in the New Year will be Tuesday 3rd January 2012
-Please note that there is a bank holiday in Scotland on Tuesday 3rd January 2012, therefore first deliveries will be on Wednesday 4th January 2012.
-We would recommend sending your consignments at the earliest possible opportunity.

Please call us on 01749 880333 if you have any questions about deliveries.

Sub Contractors and Owner Drivers for container work at our Southampton depot. Consistent work at competitive rates with excellent payment terms.

For more information please contact Ben Weeks on 02380 675 706 or 07889 169 392

Algae growing in the Roman Baths might one day be used to produce a fuel for cars.

The Roman Baths complex is at the centre of a University of Bath study looking at the production of renewable biofuels from algae.  The interest in a workable renewable liquid fuel comes as oil prices soar and natural resources are depleted.

Biodiesel can be produced by extracting the oil from the algae cell, with certain types of algae having a higher oil content.  Researchers are looking for ways to make the production process commercially viable.  The unique algae growing in the city centre baths are said to offer ideal research material because of the temperature.

Algae cells are versatile and can change many of their characteristics in response to their environment.  There are two baths, both keeping a steady temperature - the King’s Bath 46C and the Great Bath 39C.  Rain falling in the Mendips the runs through limestone at a depth of up to 14,000 feet below ground where thermal temperatures can reach nearly 100C.

Pressure builds up and injects the water through faults in the limestone, producing approximately 250,000 gallons a day in the Roman Baths.

The research team, which also includes colleagues in the university’s Department of Chemistry, and scientists at the University of the West of England headed by Dr Heather Macdonald, is growing each of the seven types of algae from the baths in a range of temperatures and comparing them to ‘control’ algae known for being good for producing biodiesel at normal temperatures.

Algae project researcher, Professor Rod Scott, said: “The results of this study will help us identify whether there is a particular algae species among the seven identified in the Roman Baths that is well adapted to growing at higher temperatures and also suitable for producing sufficient amounts of biodiesel to make wide-scale production viable.”