AN engineering consultancy firm has had a contract with the Department for Transport extended to last another year.

Fareham-based BMT Reliability Consultants, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, will continue providing maritime statistics support to the Department for Transport (DfT) for another 12 months.

BMT has been working with the DfT for the past nine years collating information on all maritime freight traffic and ship movements in and out of UK ports. The information provides an invaluable insight into the freight movements to and from the UK, including the impact of the global recession.

Once analysed shipping lines, shipping agents and port operators are also able to access the data to develop their own business strategies. It also allows the government to inform UK policy.

Andrew Cooper, managing director of BMT Reliability Consultants, said: “The award of this continuation contract recognises the importance of the relationship which we have established with the data providers over the past nine years, enabling us to deliver accurate and timely information to the DfT.”

A spokesman for DfT added: “We are pleased to continue our relationship with BMT,who has demonstrated that it has the technical skills, domain knowledge and a working relationship with the key stakeholders, to support us and ensure that the maritime statistics data is collected in an accurate and timely manner.”