Hargreaves Services’ transport division, Hargreaves Logistics, saw both turnover and operating profit increase in the first six months of the current financial year.

Like-for-like turnover in the division grew from £40m to £49.5m, an interim management statement for the six months to 30 November 2013 have shown, which the operator put down to strong volumes in bulk dry work.

Increased tanker and dry bulk business saw underlying operating profit jump by half to £3.1m, up from £2.1m last year.

“We expect a strong weighting to the first half of the year reflecting higher than normal volumes in our Bulk business,” the firm said in a statement.