Displaying items by tag: Jobs Concern

26th October 2020

Jobs Concern as Scottish Operator's £29m Contract Awarded to Irish Sea Shipyard Over Clyde Firm

Afloat tracked Scottish west isles operator CalMac's largest ferry Loch Seaforth into the Irish Sea to Cammell Laird, Birkenhead on Merseyside having arrived last week to undergo annual dry-dock maintenance. Loch Seaforth (built by the same German shipyard of Irish Ferries W.B. Yeats), carried out sea trials from Scotland in 2014 when the 8,478 tonnes ferry went as far south off Wicklow Head. Above the port side of the 116m Scottish ferry.

Scottish Government-owned ferries will undergo a £29m maintenance contract which been given to Mersey-based Cammell Laird over Dales Marine, which operates in the Garvel Dry Dock in Greenock on the Clyde.

The decision has sparked concern over the impact on jobs at the dry dock in Greenock, which employs more than 50 staff.

The new contract is the first of a £58m deal to maintain and overhaul the CalMac vessels.

It will see work carried out on the CalMac fleet serving west coast islands - including MV Lochnevis, MV Hebridean Isles, MV Isle of Mull, MV Isle of Arran, MV Caledonian Isles and MV Isle of Lewis. More here reports The Scotsman.

Afloat adds CalMac's largest ferry, MV Loch Seaforth (see Irish Sea trials) which operates Ullapool-Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis (Outer Hebrides) is currently dry-docking at the English shipyard having arrived last week.

A pair of relief ferries in the form of the aforementioned MV Isle of Lewis and MV Hebridean Isles are maintaining the route.

Loch Seaforth has accommodation for 700 passengers and 143 cars and 20 trucks was built by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft (FGS). This is the same German shipyard that built Irish Ferries much delayed cruiseferry W.B. Yeats which made a debut in 2019 and is currently operating Dublin-Holyhead during the winter.

It is in the north Wales port from where as Afloat reported last week, the Cammell Laird built polar research ship, RRS Sir David Attenborough is to undergo technical sea trials.

As for the overall CalMac fleet is to see significant improvements during the dry docking maintenance programme to each of the company's 34 ferries involving a range of upgrades.

In the case of MV Loch Seaforth this will be the fitting of an additional 40 internal seats whereas an improved Fast Rescue Craft and cranes are being added to MV Isle of Lewis and Hebrides. Both these ferries are also receiving new disabled bathroom and changing facilities.

Published in Shipyards

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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