Kestrel - Our history

Kestrel's Owner and Chairman, Andy Thorne, started Kestrel with Mark Pattison in 1994. Utilising their backgrounds and extensive experience gained at Quadrant Shipping and the CP Group, along with their global industry network, they launched as Liner Agents for Ecuadorian Line representing their service between Europe and South America. Thus, forming the background to the Group of Companies you see today.

Kestrel Liner Agencies now has an office and warehousing network across the UK, representing multiple shipping lines internationally and providing ancillary services ensuring they fulfil their mission statement of Global Reach Local Focus.

Kestrel Global Logistics opened in Miami in 2003 as the gateway to South America and the Caribbean. Spearheaded by international logistics expert Steve Keats as VP for the USA who joined after a 19 year career at Tropical Shipping, the market leader in Shipping to the Caribbean. Kestrel represents Tropical Shipping on a Global Basis.

The UK and the USA operation are foundation on which the Group of companies was built and now boasts offices throughout the world specialising in logistics services for all cargo types.

Recognised throughout the shipping and logistics industry, Kestrel is proud to have the people and the services to put it above the rest. Not least being the recipient of three Queen's Award for International Trade and the King’s Award for Enterprise in the International Trade for the first time.