Core business remains strong for UK shiprepair group
‘Seven Oceans’ in dry-dock at A&P Tyne yard undergoing refurbishment and repair work to its thrusters
A&P Group reports a variety of projects planned over the next few months at the company’s three yards undertaking ship repair and conversion tasks across a number of sectors including defence contracts, ferries and cable carrying vessels.
Although the core business of ship repair and conversion continues to remain strong into the summer, the group continues to pursue projects in the renewable energy and oil and gas sectors and has had a number of successes in these areas.
At the Tyne yard, the 10,930 dwt, 157m long, pipelay and construction vessel Seven Oceans was in dry dock undergoing repairs. Owned by Subsea 7, the vessel, which can lay rigid and flexible pipelines in waters up to 3,000m deep, was at the Hebburn yard for refurbishment and repair work to its thrusters. The work was completed within one week.
The yard also carried out conversion work on the European Supporter, a cable-laying vessel owned by P&O Maritime Services Australia, a new client to the business. Part of the work involved A&P manufacturing and installing a 7m long abrasion-resistant steel chute onto the vessel’s stern, from which cables are lowered onto the seabed. Work also included a major overhaul of the generators, modifications to the steelwork inside the ROV hangar and to the switchboard, electrical repairs and refurbishment of the pumps.
The A&P Tees facility completed the latest contract from UK-based Global Marine Services involving Van Oord’s vessel Jan Steen. This flexible fall-pipe vessel was in the yard for 10 days prior to entering a contract involving cable laying in the North Sea. A&P Tees is currently bidding for a number of offshore mobilisation projects, including more from GMS.
Currently at Tees is the Hanson Aggregate dredger Arco Beck, which has been laid-up since August 2009. The vessel was expected to be in the yard for some eight weeks for a full re-activation and life-extension. Other Hanson trailing suction hopper dredgers provisionally booked in the coming months include the Arco Axe, Arco Arun, and Arco Adur. Cemex Marine suction hopper dredger Sand Weaver is due in for a 30 year survey and life extension lasting 27 days. The yard carried out repairs in June on the tug Svitzer Sun and is due to work on the Fiery Cross, the Phoenix Cross and the Svitzer Bootle.
The Tees yard has invested in improving the facilities at the yard’s West Quay, dredging the access from 5.5m to 8m along the whole of the 130m quayside which can now be used as an alongside repair and load-out berth.
A&P’s site in Falmouth is seeing a busy time for repair and conversion, with contracts lined up throughout the summer. Grimaldi, a long term customer, saw its car carrier Repubblica Del Brasile complete a major refit at the end of June. With a 20-day stay, the work included tail shaft withdrawals, the aft ramp removed, work on new hinges and a complete paint job. The LD Lines ferry Norman Bridge and International Telecom Marine’s IT Interceptor underwent repairs at the yard in June.
In the same month, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Largs Bay commenced a 3-month refit and upgrade work package prior to her delivery to the Royal Australian Navy in October. The research ship James Cook, owned by the Natural Environment Research Council, was in dry-dock for docking and survey work.
Other visiting vessels over recent months include the RFA Mounts Bay, the Anglian Princess for dry-docking and livery change, and the RFA Argus.
Chris Bell, group MD, A&P Group said, “A consistent flow of ship repair projects over the past month and into July has kept our yards busy. A&P’s long-term customers in particular have provided a steady flow of work along with winning new clients such as P&O Maritime Australia. Across all three of our yards we are expecting a busy summer.”
Images for this article - click to enlarge
Unless otherwise stated, all images copyright © Mercator Media 2012. This does not exclude the owner's assertion of copyright over the material.
