PD Ports Teesside VTS Control Room
Sector: Transport
Client: PD Teesport Limited
Delivery Date: 18th March 2025
Project Overview:
The existing VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) Control Room furniture was due to be replaced. Thinking Space were tasked with providing new height-adjustable consoles for the unusually shaped space and to house the PC towers and cable management within the consoles' design.
Overview/Background of Client:
PD Ports is a major port and logistics company in the UK, operating 11 locations, stretching from Teesport and Hartlepool in the North to the Thames and the Isle of Wight in the South. They offer a range of services including port operations, warehousing, and multimodal transport solutions. As the Statutory Harbour Authority for Teesport and the Port of Hartlepool, they are responsible for overseeing all vessel traffic, river management and channel depth, as well as the designated Harbour Police. This includes a 12-mile stretch of the River Tees and a 3-mile section out into the North Sea.
Scope of the Project/Thinking Space's Role:
Thinking Space undertook a site survey of the existing control room and was tasked with providing a design & proposal for the control room desks to suit the layout of the room and utilise the space more efficiently, paying attention to the housing of PCs and cable management that the older furniture did not support.
Project Execution:
Thinking Space provided a design to meet the restrictions of the space that is reduced in the middle of the room due to a curved office behind the VTS operator control positions. By designing two L-shaped consoles with a shared central storage unit with tambour doors, the operating staff have sufficient space to operate at each of the 2 new consoles that support 10 screens per position. Each position provides actuation, so operators can independently control the height of their worktop at the touch of a button.
Thinking Space worked with PD Ports' technical staff to ensure all PCs were housed in triple PC bays at one end of each of the consoles. The void space and cable basket linked through the storage units, meaning no cables sat outside the console.
The material finishes chosen by the client, with the Nova Saphir worktops and Speckled Stone panels, create a cool & clean look and compliments the view of the River Tees directly outside the window and adjacent to The Transporter Bridge. Operators have provided positive feedback, having now used the consoles for a few months.
The whole process of working with Thinking Space was seamless, from design to implementation. An opportunity to visit a previous customer's site was arranged, so that we could look at the workmanship and operation of a similar set-up. This further allowed us the opportunity to discuss the benefits of the product first hand with actual users. Positive feedback has been received from the team about the desks, they are aesthetically pleasing, they bring a modern look and feel to the operations room, having the ability to stand brings benefits both physically and mentally. We have engaged Thinking Space again to look at other desks with in the VTS to add the same benefits for other staff.
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