UK shipping group Serco has been awarded a contract extension to manage cargoships for International Nuclear Services (INS).

The deal will continue an agreement inked in 2012 for another four years.

Together with a previously declared option of one year, the contract will now run for the full nine years, until 2021.

Serco has had a base in Barrow-in-Furness since 2012, where it employs a team of 17 people to look after the worldwide operations of the fleet.