Displaying items by tag: H&W Appledore

14th July 2022

Harland & Wolff's Appledore Shipyard Secures ‘Watershed’ Defence Contract

Harland & Wolff's Appledore Shipyard Secures ‘Watershed’ Defence ContractHarland & Wolff's Appledore shipyard has been awarded a £55m contract to regenerate a former Royal Navy mine-hunting vessel, with the "watershed" agreement set to support 100 jobs at the company's south-west England facility.

On behalf of the Lithuanian Government, the Defence Equipment Sales Authority (DESA) awarded the contract that will see HMS Quorn (see former fleetmate) renovated and restored at the Appledore Shipyard, bolstering NATO maritime capability in Europe.

Supporting ambitions to bolster British shipbuilding, the work will see an influx of contractors for the project across the local and national supply chain.

This includes 14 major subcontract packages in engineering, equipment and integration, along with other refurbishment services.

John Wood, group chief executive of Harland & Wolff, said: "This is a watershed moment. This contract has provided the breakthrough that we needed to activate the fifth and final element of our business strategy – the key market of defence.

More on the contract InsiderMedia has a report.

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H&W Appledore

12th February 2021

Harland & Wolff Announces Launch of Apprenticeship Scheme in Belfast & Appledore

Belfast Harbour is where the iconic shipyard of Harland & Wolff, with 160 years of maritime and offshore engineering pedigree, is launching a new apprenticeship scheme. In addition the opportunities will also apply to the H&W Appledore shipyard in Devon which AFLOAT adds built OPV's for the Irish Naval Service including the newest offshore patrol vessel LE Goerge Bernard Shaw.

Harland & Wolff has announced that it will soon be launching a new apprenticeship scheme at the 160 year old historic shipyard that last year notably signed a letter of intent to build ships again.

The scheme is set to officially launch later this year across both the flagship Belfast and the newly acquired Appledore sites, as Afloat reported. The Devon shipyard had up to 2018 built OPV's for the Naval Service.

Apprenticeships offered will be across three distinct functions, Trade, (welders, pipefitters, electricians, riggers, fabricators, etc) Technical, (engineers, naval architecture) and Business Support (sales, administration).

Highlights of the unique training programme will include practical on-the-job training, one to one mentoring alongside its experienced workforce, shipyard training facilities and the opportunity to earn while you learn.

As part of the scheme, apprentices will have the chance to experience working across Harland & Wolff’s five key sectors; cruise & ferries, defence, oil & gas, commercial and renewables, as well as across the full lifecycle of services it offers; technical services, building and fabrication, repair and maintenance, in service support, conversion, and decommissioning.

Prospective apprentices will be able to register their interest on the Harland & Wolff website here.

Harland & Wolff would also like to hear from any relevant apprentices who have been unable to complete their apprenticeship through the recent loss of employment.

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7th September 2020

H&W Appledore to Host 'Career' Open Days for Prospective Workers At Renamed UK Shipyard

Appledore shipyard in Cornwall, UK is hosting career open days this week, Thursday and Friday. Above Afloat adds is the covered building hall of the shipyard on the banks of the River Torridge where the last ship floated-out was the Irish Naval Service L.E. George Bernard Shaw in March 2018. Late last month, Afloat also adds the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson paid a visit to the newly acquired Harland & Wolff (Appledore) shipyard. At the re-opening of the Cornish shipyard the PM commented that this will be a fantastic opportunity for the entire UK. We must get on and “build, build, build”.

Initial steps to getting local workers back through the gates of Appledore Shipyard in the UK began last week with two careers open days.

New operator Harland & Wolff is hosting to events at the Cornish site for prospective employees on Thursday, September 10 and Friday, September 11.

As NorthDevonGazette reports, the company says they are being held in readiness for ‘highly anticipated new contracts’ and says they will provide the opportunity to meet and speak with existing Harland & Wolff employees who can share their experiences.

The free events will run from 9am on Thursday and 8am on Friday, until 6pm on both days, with one hour time slots that can be booked via the Harland & Wolff website – details below.

The union Unite said it regarded the careers days as the first step in getting shipbuilding restarted as soon as possible at the renamed Harland and Wolff Appledore – but warned that will also need active involvement from the government.

Appledore shipyard was closed in March 2019 by previous owner Babcock after 164 years, with the loss of about 200 jobs.

For more click here in addition for prospective workers you can register here for the Career Open Days.

Afloat adds the shipyard has been renamed H&W Appledore near Bideford from where the last ship built at the south-west England shipyard was ordered by the Irish Government Department of Defence. This led to fourth OPV90 /P60 class L.E. George Bernard Shaw (P54) floated out on the River Torridge.

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25th August 2020

Historic UK Shipyard Appledore Acquired by Owners of Harland & Wolff

Appledore Shipyard on the River Torridge in north Devon has been acquired by owners of the Belfast shipyard Harland & Wolff

In the UK the Appledore Shipyard in south-west England which built its last ship for the Irish Naval Service is set to reopen, it has been announced.

The historic shipyard as previously reported, has been acquired by Infrastrata, the owners of Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff.

The deal will see the shipyard, which was closed by Babcock in March 2019, renamed H&W Appledore.

Infrastrata acquired the Belfast yard in December 2019, and believe the Appledore facility will be the ‘go-to’ yard in the region for small vessel requirements.

It said while each yard will be a standalone business in its own right, Appledore would be ideally placed to handle any extra work from Belfast.

The acquisition only comes with one employee – the site manager – but the company believes the workforce can be ‘very quickly ramped up’ upon the execution of contracts, and said discussions with the Government and private vessels were already under way.

For further reading NorthDevonGazette has more.

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About the Golden Globe Race

The Golden Globe Race is the original round the world yacht race. In 1968, while man was preparing to take his first steps on the moon, a mild mannered and modest young man was setting out on his own record breaking voyage of discovery. Off shore yacht racing changed forever with adventurers and sailors, inspired by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, following in his pioneering wake. Nine men started the first solo non-stop sailing race around the World. Only one finished. History was made. Navigating with a sextant, paper charts and an accurate and reliable time piece, Sir Robin navigated around the world. In 2018, to celebrate 50 years since that first record breaking achievement, the Golden Globe Race was resurrected. It instantly caught the attention of the worlds media as well as adventures, captivated by the spirit and opportunity. The original race is back.

The Golden Globe Race: Stepping back to the golden age of solo sailing

Like the original Sunday Times event back in 1968/9, the 2018 Golden Globe Race was very simple. Depart Les Sables d'Olonne, France on July 1st 2018 and sail solo, non-stop around the world, via the five Great Capes and return to Les Sables d'Olonne. Entrants are limited to use the same type of yachts and equipment that were available to Robin Knox-Johnston in that first race. That means sailing without modern technology or benefit of satellite-based navigation aids.

Competitors must sail in production boats between 32ft and 36ft overall (9.75 10.97m) designed prior to 1988 and having a full-length keel with rudder attached to their trailing edge. These yachts will be heavily built, strong and steady, similar in concept to Robin's 32ft vessel Suhaili.

In contrast to the current professional world of elite ocean racing, this edition travels back to a time known as the 'Golden Age' of solo sailing. Suhaili was a slow and steady 32ft double-ended ketch based on a William Atkins ERIC design. She is heavily built of teak and carried no computers, GPS, satellite phone nor water-maker, and Robin completed the challenge without the aid of modern-day shore-based weather routing advice. He had only a wind-up chronometer and a barograph to face the world alone, and caught rainwater to survive, but was at one with the ocean, able to contemplate and absorb all that this epic voyage had to offer.

This anniversary edition of the Golden Globe Race is a celebration of the original event, the winner, his boat and that significant world-first achievement. Competitors in this race will be sailing simple boats using basic equipment to guarantee a satisfying and personal experience. The challenge is pure and very raw, placing the adventure ahead of winning at all costs. It is for 'those who dare', just as it was for Knox-Johnston.

They will be navigating with sextant on paper charts, without electronic instruments or autopilots. They will hand-write their logs and determine the weather for themselves.

Only occasionally will they talk to loved ones and the outside world when long-range high frequency and ham radios allow.

It is now possible to race a monohull solo around the world in under 80 days, but sailors entered in this race will spend around 300 days at sea, challenging themselves and each other. The 2018 Golden Globe Race was a fitting tribute to the first edition and it's winner, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Background on Don McIntyre (61) Race Founder

Don is an inveterate sailor and recognised as one of Australia s greatest explorers. Passionate about all forms of adventure and inspiring others, his desire is to recreate the Golden Age of solo sailing. Don finished 2nd in class in the 1990-91 BOC Challenge solo around the world yacht race. In 2010, he led the 4-man Talisker Bounty Boat challenge to re-enact the Mutiny on the Bounty voyage from Tonga to West Timor, in a simil