Cammell Laird Sees Spike in Ferry Dockings

British shipyard and marine engineering services company Cammell Laird has reported that the number of ferry dockings in the first four months of 2015 almost matched the number of ferries the shipyard docked throughout the entire 2014. 

Cammell Laird has seen 15 ferries docked at its Birkenhead 120 acre site, including four drydocks, in 2015. A further three ferries are booked in for drydocking and repairs.

Cammell Laird managing director Linton Roberts said the company has undertaken the work for a range of long standing clients including Caledonian MacBrayne, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Irish Ferries, NorthLink Ferries, P&O Ferries and Seatruck Ferries.

”It has been a really strong year for ferry drydockings and repairs and we are keen to build on this and win more work from new and existing clients,” Roberts said.

”The work we have undertaken has made full use of our drydocks which are suitable for vessels up to 40m beam. The drydockings have included conventional and high-speed vessels, in steel or aluminium. They have ranged from the 46m, 617 gross tons Mersey Ferry Snowdrop to the 209m, 50,938 gross tons Irish Ferries Ulysses.”

Meanwhile Cammell Laird Technical Services recently completed a design for the conversion of a number of EuroShip Services Ltd managed vessels to be able to run on both Heavy Fuel Oils and Marine Gas Oil.

Cammell Laird technical manager Paul Ashcroft said this offered ‘big benefits’ to ship owners allowing them to reduce fuel costs when sailing in non-Environmental Control Areas (ECA) and to run on low sulphur MGO to comply with ECA emission regulations.

”Throughout the design process Cammell Laird sought to produce bespoke designs for each ship. This enabled us to undertake the prefabrication of system pipework and steelwork before each ship’s arrival. When the ships then arrive here we were able to make the modifications quickly and efficiently, reducing disruption and keeping costs down,” Ashcroft said.

Ashcroft said Cammell Laird is targeting ship operators to help them meet new environmental laws in the next few years.

”We will work closely with ship managers, owners and operators to provide engineering solutions to the challenges being faced over the coming years with new environmental legislation coming into force,” Ashcroft said.

”There is not one simple solution to suit all vessels. Much depends on the type of ship, the geographical trading area, its age and operating profile.”