De<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
pite orderbook<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
barely extending pa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t mid-1999<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
trong pound, the UK`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
remaining commercial <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hipbuilder<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
believe they can continue to compete.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
trength of <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
terling i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
making competition between UK yard<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
other<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
in northern Europe harder,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
there i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
no doubt that thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
having an impact on yard<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
` abilitie<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
to win order<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
They are continuing to concentrate on <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
peciali<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ed, high added-value tonnage, with a high engineering content, to avoid lower co<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t competition from over<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ea<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
impler <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. “The UK can compete on the more complex tonnage, but it i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
increa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ingly difficult on <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
imple tonnage,” feel<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipbuilder<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
` Ken Fulford. “If it i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
imple, the owner can find cheaper place<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
to build.” Of the three main yard<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, Appledore ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been the mo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t involved in building <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
impler ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
along<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ide it<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
high-value tonnage in the la<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t few year<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, with deliverie<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
including coa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ter<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
mall product tanker<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
bulk carrier<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. “We will <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply whatever the market want<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,” <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ay<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
managing director Jim Wil<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
To <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ay that the Briti<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
h government ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
done little to help <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hipbuilding in recent year<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
would be an under<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tatement, though the new Labour admini<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tration i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
now talking of <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upporting the indu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
try. Mo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t are under<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ably <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ceptical, but a new <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipbuilding Forum ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been e<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tabli<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hed,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
it will be intere<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ting to <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ee if anything po<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
itive emerge<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. Meanwhile, the <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ard 4.5 per cent\/9 per cent intervention <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
cheme i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
the limit of <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upport. Regional aid could be available under EU rule<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, but Appledore`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
Mr Wil<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tate<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
: “We have not had one penny from government <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ource<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
except from the intervention fund.”<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kvaerner Govan Order<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
at Kvaerner Govan are dominated by off<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hore related tonnage. Two <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply boat<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
for Far<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tad will be delivered in January<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
March 1999,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
a highly <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ophi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ticated oil well te<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el for Brovig take<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
the yard through to July next year. Thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
the extent of the orderbook, <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o it need<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
to <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ecure contract<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
by the end of the year to en<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ure continuity on <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
teel production,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
optimi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tic that order<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are forthcoming.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
continuing to look to niche market<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
uch a<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
chemical carrier<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply boat<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. The yard i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
competitive in the value added, <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
peciali<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t market<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, Anti Pankako<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ki, vice pre<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ident of Kvaerner <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipbuilding, explain<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. “Thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been the plan for a number of year<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
there i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
no rea<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on to change it.” While <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
may look <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
mall for a <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ite with 205m panamax beam building berth<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, they are perfectly <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
uited to the facility, <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ay<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
Mr Pankako<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ki. It i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o bidding on a number of Briti<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
h government project<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Govan i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
benchmarked again<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t other yard<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
in the Kvaerner group<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been underperforming, <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o a new <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
trategy wa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
implemented to rever<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e lo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
improve profitability. Production philo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ophy ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
changed completely, with the yard concentrating on the core di<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
cipline<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
of <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
teel<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
pipe work. Engineering ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o been kept in-hou<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e, with 60 engineer<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
employed. <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
teel capacity run<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
at 20,000t\/yr. “The more <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
teel we do in-hou<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e, the more competitive we are,” explain<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
marketing manager <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
am Cameron.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Many other non-core di<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
cipline<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are now out<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ourced, in particular where the yard <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ee<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
element<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
of ri<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
k. Thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
policy ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
led to a <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ignificant reduction in workforce, which i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
down to below 900 from more than 1500 ju<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t over a year ago. There have al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o been management change<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. The yard i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
now applying be<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t practi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e, ba<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ed on group experience, explain<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
Mr Pankako<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ki. “Efficiency i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on a completely different level when compared to two or three year<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ago.” A \u00a37 million ($11.4 million) inve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tment programme i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
underway, aimed mainly at improving efficiency in Foran 3D CAD <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
y<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tem.<\/p>\n
Govan ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
delivered three <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
year; the 36,800 dwt chemical tanker<\/p>\n
Jo Cypre<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
<\/i> <\/p>\n
to JO Tanker<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
two type V<\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
483 <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
to Toi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a; the 82.85 loa x 19m x 7.6m<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Toi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a Intrepid<\/i> <\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
Toi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a Invincible<\/i><\/p>\n
. Propul<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ion on the<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
provided by two 2,460kW (3,300 bhp) W<#138>rt<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
il<#138> 6R32E main engine<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
each driving a 1,750kW <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
haft generator<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
CP propeller, giving a <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ervice <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
peed of 12 knot<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. They are equipped with a <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
imrad DP <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
y<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tem<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
twin 735kW (1,000 bhp) VP thru<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ter<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
fore<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
aft. Toi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
manager <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
ealion <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipping modified the de<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ign to provide accommodation for up to 25 per<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
onnel,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
prepared the ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
for additional DP equipment for capability in exce<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
of pure <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip operation<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. The contract wa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
worth approximately \u00a327 million to the yard. The two Far<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tad <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are being built to the V<\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
420 de<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ign with <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
imilar dimen<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ion<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. Contract value i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ome \u00a314 million ($22.8 million) per <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip.<\/p>\n
Appledore <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipbuilder<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
delivered two <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
year,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
three on order. Toi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a will take delivery of two 72m x 16m x 6m 3,150dwt ROV <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upport\/<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
in February<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
April next year,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
a fi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hery patrol ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el will be completed for the Iri<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
h navy in <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
eptember next year. There i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
an option for a <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
econd fi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hery patrol ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
the yard i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
working on two or three <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
olid enquirie<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, according to Mr Wil<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on, who i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
equally optimi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tic about winning contract<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
maintaining continuity. “We can compete, but the pound i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hurting u<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
intere<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t rate<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are too high,” he <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ay<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n
Appledore delivered the twin <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
crew pa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
enger ferry<\/p>\n
Clan<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
man<\/i> <\/p>\n
to Caledonian MacBrayne in the <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ummer. The 5,400g ferry mea<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ure<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
99m loa x 15.8m x 5.5m<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
equipped with twin MaK 8M32 main engine<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
each developing 3,840kW (5,1590 bhp). <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
peed at 85 per cent MCR i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
16.5 knot<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. The ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
arranged for <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tern<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
bow loading with a <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
emi-enclo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ed vehicle deck,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
capacity for 90 car<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, or up to ten HGV<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on the main deck,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ten car<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on a hoi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
table car deck. Pa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
enger capacity i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
634. The double hulled 6,250 dwt product carrier,<\/p>\n
Le<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ley PG<\/i><\/p>\n
, wa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
delivered to Campbell Maritime in January.<\/p>\n
When Langham Indu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
trie<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
took Appledore over in 1989, it had a turnover of \u00a312 million ($19.6 million)<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
wa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
lo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ing \u00a36 million ($9.8 million) annually. Today, turnover i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
around \u00a340 million ($65.6 million). Mr Wil<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
trongly committed to creating employment,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
the yard trie<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
to do everything in-hou<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e, including all de<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ign work; the Toi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a boat<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
have been de<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
igned at Appledore, for example. <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
teel capacity i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
150 t\/week,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
the workforce <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
at around 500 people. 13 apprentice<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are taken on each year. Recent inve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tment include<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
extending the cutting <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hed<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
refurbi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hing a 75m <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
lipway, which ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been u<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ed to con<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
truct <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ection<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
for repair.<\/p>\n
Port Gla<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
gow`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipbuilder<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
delivered the platform <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
upply ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
tirling Tay<\/i> <\/p>\n
at the end of June,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
cheduled to h<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
over a final <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ter <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip to <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
tirling <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
hipping in February. At the time of writing thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
wa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ole ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el on the yard`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
book<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
tirling ordered four <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
imilar ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
in an inve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tment worth approximately \u00a355 million ($90.1 million); three at Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
one at Kvaerner Govan. The<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e ve<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
el<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o ba<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ed on the V<\/p>\n
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ign from Vik<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
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and<\/p>\n
vik, but have an azimuthing thru<\/p>\n
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ter forward in place of one of the tunnel thru<\/p>\n
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ter<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
.<\/p>\n
With <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
uch a thin forward order <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ituation the yard i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
obviou<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ly looking hard for new order<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
Ken Fulford explain<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
that they have good pro<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
pect<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
for new contract<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. “We expect another job <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
oon,” he <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ay<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. But he al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o comment<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
that the market i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
quiet, with fewer enquirie<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
than in recent year<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
a definite tendency for project<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
to be delayed.<\/p>\n
Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
limited to building <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
of 100m in length,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
like the other<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
focu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ed on more complex <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hip<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
with a high engineering content. The off<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hore market ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been mo<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t fruitful recently, but it i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o keeping an eye on other <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ector<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, notably the ferry market, where it <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ee<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
good pro<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
pect<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. The Briti<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
h government announced that <\/p>\n
S<\/p>\n
cotti<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
h i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
l<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
been allocated budget for further newbuilding, for example,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
built for the company before.<\/p>\n
It al<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
o ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
hope<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
for the dredger market in the medium term. The yard ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a long hi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
tory of building dredger tonnage, though it ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
only delivered one in the la<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
t ten year<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. “Dredger<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
have the high engineering content that <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
uit<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
the balance of people in the yard now,” Mr Fulford explain<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
. “We are not fully competitive without a good level of engineering.” Thi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
mean<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
that the general coa<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ter market i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
generally out of the yard`<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
cope, unle<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
there i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
omething particularly unu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ual or complex in the de<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ign.<\/p>\n
Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on employ<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
a <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
taff of around 350, of which <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ome two third<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
are permanent. It doe<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
it<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
own <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
teel work,<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
ha<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
not been tempted to build hull<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
at cheaper over<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ea<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
location<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
, unlike many of it<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
competitor<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
in The Netherl<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
and<\/p>\n
Norway. Fergu<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
on i<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
not convinced that building hull<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
over<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
ea<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
actually produce<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
the <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
aving<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
they <\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
eem to promi<\/p>\n
s<\/p>\n
e. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
De s pite orderbook s barely extending pa s t mid-1999 and the s trong pound, the UK` s remaining commercial s hipbuilder s believe they can continue to compete. The s trength of s terling i s making competition between UK yard s and other s in northern Europe harder, and there i s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"sponsor":[],"class_list":["post-1886","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1886","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1886"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1886\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1886"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1886"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1886"},{"taxonomy":"sponsor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.motorship.com\/propulsion-and-future-fuels-conference\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sponsor?post=1886"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}