Welcome to Red Army Radio! Today, Francis sits down with Rob Pierce and Rory Hughes from Tomlinson’s Marine Shipping and Logistics team. In this episode, we explore the massive world of shipping, dock development, and marine logistics from Ontario Trap Rock’s quarry operations in Bruce Mines to the evolving Universal Terminals site in Morrisburg. 

Rory shares how the team is transforming the Morrisburg dock property, remediating soils and preparing the six-acre dock and fifty acres of industrial land for full-scale development. Rob breaks down the complexities of moving thousands of tons of stone across the Great Lakes and the partnerships that make it possible, including Tomlinson’s joint vessel ownership with McKeil Marine. 

Together, they reveal what it takes to move millions of tons of material across North America’s waterways, the ingenuity behind new conveyor systems and dock expansions, and how teamwork and readiness turn unexpected opportunities into success stories. 

Episode Highlights 

• Revitalizing the Site: How the team turned a fuel terminal into a modern marine logistics hub ready for large-scale development. 
• The Power of Traprock: Why this dense, durable aggregate is in high demand for highways and rail lines across North America. 
• Owning the Supply Chain: The strategic partnership with McKeil Marine that gives Tomlinson control from quarry to customer. 
• Engineering Ingenuity: Installing a multi-kilometre conveyor under a highway to move material directly from the quarry to ships. 
• Unexpected Opportunities: How the team helped deliver a massive grain dryer too large for road transport - proving readiness pays off. 
• Smart Logistics: Using AI modeling to optimize shipping schedules, dock layouts, and product handling efficiency. 
• Team Dedication: 24/7 coordination between quarry, docks, and marine carriers to keep shipments on schedule. 

Key Takeaways 

• “Sometimes it’s about touching the material less to ensure better quality.” 
• “There’s not a whole bunch of stuff we can’t handle.” 
• “Every time you talk to a grain farmer in eastern Ontario, they’re looking for more outlets for their product—and we want to be part of that solution.” 
• “Never a dull day. Just when you think you’ve got it figured out, there’s another curveball that gets thrown your way.”