On a recent visit to workboat builders and servicing specialists Mainstay Marine, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths unveiled the company’s latest edition; its 160t boat hoist.
The hoist will lift vessels out of the water and move around the company’s 4.6 hectare site and into 4000m2 of covered workshop space providing clean and controlled environments for servicing vessels.
Built in Italy by the company ’Boat Lift’, the remote controlled amphibious marine hoist weighs 60t and is almost 12 meters tall. With 6 lifting winches and ability to immerse into water up to 5 meters deep, the hoist will serve vessels with a maximum 9m beam and a 4.5m draft.
The hoist is a welcome addition to the areas’ existing infrastructure increasing the maximum lifting capability in the Haven from 35t previously.
Stewart Graves, Managing Director commented ‘’The boat hoist will complement our recent upgrades to our slipways giving us the ability to provide customers with a much more flexible service for vessels up to 650t. The hoist will help minimise vessel downtime and provide an all tide emergency facility for our customers giving them a more cost-effective solution. We look forward to welcoming new and existing clients into our yard’’.
Mainstay’s strategic location benefits from proximity to the Bristol Channel, Irish Sea and Atlantic trade routes. The new addition will complement the company’s existing facilities inclusive of a wet basin, 4 slipways (2 covered) and a ro-ro slipway. The hoist will also allow the company to extend their product offerings to include servicing GRP, Wood and Concrete vessels.
The hoist will launch the 26m Welsh Fisheries Protection Vessel ‘FPV Rhodri Morgan’ and 19m Catamaran ‘FPV Lady Megan’ currently in build and nearing completion on site. Both vessels are excepted to be in operation early-mid Autumn.
The Cabinet Sectary commented ‘Grateful to all involved for their hard work on Wales’ two new Fisheries Patrol Vessels. Look forward to taking delivery of both vessels shortly’.
It is anticipated that the hoist will also complement the £76m Swansea City development project ring-fenced for Pembroke Port to support the Marine Renewable Sector in Wales.
MMSL workforce in front of 160t hoist.
The amphibian boat hoist was purchased with the assistance of Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) funding.
For more information contact Nigel Johnson on 01646 407888 or email nigel.johnson@mainstaymarine.co.uk
