Displaying items by tag: Ship Repair

18th January 2024

Merseyside Ship Repair Division at Cammell Laird Experiences Significant Growth

The commercial ship repair division of shipbuilder, Cammell Laird, Birkenhead has experienced significant growth towards the end of 2023, as business was up by 50% when compared from this time last year.

In the last two months alone, the facility on the Wirral Peninsula, welcomed more than 11 vessels for ship repair works – including new and returning customers.

Cammell Laird now operates as part of the wider APCL Group of shipbuilders and shiprepairers - (among them A&P Group) which has helped the movement of vessels across all four facilities.

In addition to the company’s recent shipbuilding contract with Mersey Ferries, Cammell Laird also undertook the Royal Iris of the Mersey's annual maintenance works which included overhaul on both rudders, pulling of both shafts, new seals and steelwork inserts on the hull.

Other vessels include returning customer Isle of Man Steam Packet Company's Manannan (see latest related story) Boskalis' Deo Gloria, Svitzer Pembroke, Boskalis Freeway (see Waterford dredging story), Svitzer Surrey, the Calmac ferry, the Lord of the Isles and the Vos Patriot.

Mike Hill, Managing Director of Cammell Laird, said: “I am delighted to see our commercial division so busy which is up 50% from this time last year.

"Over the past few months we have seen significant growth and dock utilisation across as well as having multi-ship, multi-year framework agreements in place with several customers."

"It is a fantastic end to 2023 and we look forward to welcoming further vessels in 2024."

Published in Shipyards

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour