One of the south's best known names in shipping has been relaunched and changed to RMC Marine.

Previously known as South Coast Shipping of Baltic Wharf, the Southampton-based operation has made the move to bring the firm further into line with its parent company's corporate identity.

RMC Marine is part of the RMC Group and dredges aggregates from the seabed for use in a wide variety of construction products such as ready mixed and pre-cast concrete.

Marine aggregate is also widely used in coastal civil engineering projects such as land reclamation and beach replenishment schemes.

RMC Marine, which has a fleet of seven vessels, operates in waters around the UK and off the coast of continental Europe, from the Bay of Biscay to the Baltic Sea. It supplies sand and gravel to a wide range of clients and to associated companies within the group.

The company was founded more than 50 years ago and is headed by director and general manager, John Wilkinson, who previously ran RMC's aggregates and ready-mixed operations in India.

"In recent years the focus of the business has expanded to include the whole of the UK and the northern coast of Europe,'' said Mr Wilkinson.

"The new name reflects the group's principal marine business and will allow it to identify more closely with its customer base in Britain and mainland Europe.''

Aggregates dredged from the seabed make up more than one-fifth of the UK's demand for sand and gravel and the sea is becoming an important source of these materials.