# Drydocks



## jimmys (Jan 5, 2007)

On the Clyde we now only have two drydocks working on Ship repair. Garvel Dock Greenock and Ailsa Troon, leased to Garvel.
Govan is out of commission. Inchgreen in Greenock and the Scotstoun Drydocks are BAE systems. Other than a few slips we have nothing else.
Are the other parts of the country in a similar state. All I see along the Clyde are yuppie flats and shopping developments.
The place is a shipping wasteland.
Is it the same all over.

best regards
jimmys


----------



## chrisrice (Nov 5, 2006)

avonmouth is the same no ships for years chris rice


----------



## Geoff_E (Nov 24, 2006)

The Tyne's the same. A wasteland of housing development. I think the classic is the old Brigham & Cowans DD at S. Shields; surrounded by appartments with a fountain in the middle of the dock! 
The Pallion Yard on the Wear, one of the best facilities in the the country, houses the rusting remains of the Manxman, I believe - hardly productive or encouraging is it?


----------



## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

Does not Fergusons do ship repair ?? Derek


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Derek,

Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd is still on the go , but only just!
They concentrate mainly on new builds rather than repair work and lately built fishery research vessels, offshore supply vessels, chain ferries and small ferries.
The following article appeared in the Greenock Telegraph on MOnday 11 December 2006 which doesn't paint a rosy picture for the future.

_*CalMac launch

THE latest — and possibly last — ferry to be built at Ferguson’s shipyard was launched on Friday. 

MV Loch Shira set sail at 1pm after a launch ceremony performed by Elspeth Sinclair, wife of CalMac Ferries’ managing director Lawrie Sinclair, and a blessing by ***brae minister Reverend Marjorie MacKay. 

Hundreds of cheering children and wellwishers gathered to watch the ship slide into the Clyde. 

The £6.4 million vessel took 150 workers 11 months to build and will ferry up to 250 passengers between Largs and ***brae. 

But Loch Shira, due to enter service around March next year, has been touted as one of the shipyard’s last major orders as companies look to Eastern Europe and East Asia where wages are lower. 

Operations manager for Ferguson’s, Andy Crossan, said: “From a blank piece of paper at the technical stage to watching the launch — it’s amazing. 

“As far as Ferguson’s goes, we’re optimistic about the future because we believe in the quality of the individuals in the yard and the company as a whole.” 

At least 300 vessels have left the slips of the shipyard since Fergusons began operating from Port Glasgow in 1903. 

Spectator James McNab, 76, of Port Glasgow, said: “We’ve got links with the shipyard. I worked here for three years and my wife, Helen, worked here for 13 years. 

“It’s very sad if it’s the last one, but what can you do in the face of competition and without backing from the government?”*_


----------



## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

Geoff_E said:


> The Tyne's the same. A wasteland of housing development. I think the classic is the old Brigham & Cowans DD at S. Shields; surrounded by appartments with a fountain in the middle of the dock!
> The Pallion Yard on the Wear, one of the best facilities in the the country, houses the rusting remains of the Manxman, I believe - hardly productive or encouraging is it?


Hi! Geoff,

The Manxman is on the river outside the Pallion yard, see gallery. Berthed inside is Seacat Scotland. (Thumb) Not encouraging at all mate!!


----------



## moaf (Jun 16, 2005)

A&P Southampton closed in 2005


----------



## Ian (Mar 27, 2004)

there is only one drydock left in operation on the tyne that is a&p tyne at hebburn who are now trying to get into the shipbreaking game.

cheers tom


----------



## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

Thanks Ray ;
I have met Frank Dunnet of Fergussons ; a fine gentleman and it seemed to be he who was the driving force . I dont know how active he still is .
Derek


----------



## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

An Island nation without the means to repair itself!!


----------



## Dave437 (Aug 29, 2006)

For some real nostalgia have a look at the photographs of Ships and shipbuilders on the Clyde at "www.mitchelllibrary.org". 
Regards, Dave.


----------



## jimmys (Jan 5, 2007)

I was the MCA build engineer for the two major Red Funnel units and the Isle of Lewis at Fergusons late 1990's . Also other units after that. I do not know whether it can keep going I hope so. Even CalMac are forced by Government to go overseas.
I wonder what Europe does for us.
BAE systems hope the Carriers are the salvation, I think they are disintegrating. The Clyde is a wasteland.

best regards
jimmys


----------



## Bearsie (Nov 11, 2006)

jimmys said:


> I was the MCA build engineer for the two major Red Funnel units and the Isle of Lewis at Fergusons late 1990's . Also other units after that. I do not know whether it can keep going I hope so. Even CalMac are forced by Government to go overseas.
> I wonder what Europe does for us.
> BAE systems hope the Carriers are the salvation, I think they are disintegrating. The Clyde is a wasteland.
> 
> ...


Europe doesn't do much for anybody.
They put quota's on some of the east German yards a while back, forcing Neptun - Rostock to stop building new ships.
The idiocy of this is that the Euro Commission can NOT put quota's on the Chinese!

The dry dock in Goole seems to be busy with repairs, although it is a much smaller dry dock.

European shipyards took a huge beating in the last 20 years.
It just looks worse in the UK since they came off a very high level to almost zero...
I have no clue how labor rates and such on the Clyde compare to those in Rotterdam or at Lisnave for instance, but i can see where no one is volunteering to drive a week to get to Scotland if they can have it done in Lisbon or there abouts.
In the US we gave up on building ships a long time ago.
The few yards (and docks) we have depend on the government for work ....
That however is a 2 sided sword, Reagan built ships, Clinton scrapped them.
The State giveth, the State taketh away ...
There are a few private yards associated with fishing and the oil industry that do quite ok in their specialty line.
And then there is Aker-Philadelphia, which depends on tax money and a quirky, no foreign ships allowed here (intra coastal trade law) to stay open.
They just finished 5 container ships for Matson Lines (Hawaii).
Incidently that is an old Navy yard that was closed a few years back ...
And the same thing happens here, condominiums along the Delaware where maritime enterprises and industry used to be (Ouch)


----------



## Derek Roger (Feb 19, 2005)

Itll be a great day when the British Navy has to go to Japan ; Korea or China for drydockings ????????????????????????????????????/


----------



## Bearsie (Nov 11, 2006)

Derek Roger said:


> Itll be a great day when the British Navy has to go to Japan ; Korea or China for drydockings ????????????????????????????????????/


I thought the British Navy was being sold to Chile?
So, let the Chileans worry where to dry dock ....
As far as protecting Her Majesty's island, the Chinese will take care of that chore, since they wouldn't want "their" ships and containers attacked or damaged by rogue foreigners.(Smoke) 
This will in turn enable your Government to lower taxes for all [=P]


----------



## jazz606 (Jan 21, 2007)

It appears to be Central Government policy to deprive the UK of every last bit of manufacturing capacity as soon a possible. If the Scottish Parliament had any guts they would defy Westminster and Brussels and give the building of Scots Ferries and Fisheries Vessels to Scottish yards . Fat chance.


----------



## Brian Dobbie (Nov 18, 2005)

Last year Wartsila wanted to do some work on the engine of my ship in Felixstowe. They brought Fitters from Rotterdam to assist the Swiss Wartsila Engineers. Whhe I asked, " Wnot use British" I was told there are no Marine Fitters available in the London areaand they always bring Fitters from the continent.
Recently I have had Fitters onboard in Hamburg and Rotterdam and they are very good, but so were the Brits at one stage. What happened to us???

Brian
Never mind a drydock we can't even produce guys to work on the ships.


----------



## stouch (Jan 22, 2007)

4 drydocks at rosyth, a non tidal basin and the syncrolift with the ability to take 4 smaller ships, about MCMV size. run by Babcock BNS now so will be open to the commercial market (Especially since the MoD contracts are running out quickly).

If the super carrier contract does end up at Rosyth, It is likley that 2 of the dry docks will be knocked into one.


----------



## HENNEGANOL (Apr 22, 2006)

*Drydocks.*

The drydock at Milfordhaven manages to keep going with the odd sailing ship, tug or coastal tanker. But I understand that suitable marine fitters etc. are difficult to find.

The availability of labour in this area has become a problem since the building of the new LNG facilities started at the old Esso and Gulf oil refinery sites, where the wages are considerably higher. The garage where I have my car MOT'd has lost two vechicle examiners who have gone to work on the sites and the owner has been unable to replace them.

Gerry Taylor


----------



## Bearsie (Nov 11, 2006)

HENNEGANOL said:


> The drydock at Milfordhaven manages to keep going with the odd sailing ship, tug or coastal tanker. But I understand that suitable marine fitters etc. are difficult to find.
> 
> The availability of labour in this area has become a problem since the building of the new LNG facilities started at the old Esso and Gulf oil refinery sites, where the wages are considerably higher. The garage where I have my car MOT'd has lost two vechicle examiners who have gone to work on the sites and the owner has been unable to replace them.
> 
> Gerry Taylor


Seems odd when folks complain about lack of work but you can't find any one to work ...


----------



## Bearsie (Nov 11, 2006)

*repair price index*

This is a world wide repair price index for shipyards, it does not include the price of steel, which varies from a low $ 650.- in China to a high of over
$ 2500 in Europe... Quite some differences ! The surprise in this index is japan ( to me anyways) how do they stay in Business?

Singapore - 100 
S. Korea - 105/110 
China - 50/65 
Indonesia - 60/75 
Japan - 250 
Middle East - 100/105 
S. Africa - 110/115 
Mediterrannean - 125/130 
Balkans/Turkey - 110/115 
N. Europe - 140/150 
Scandinavia - 150/160 
Baltic/Russia - 110/115 
USA - 170/180


----------



## jimmys (Jan 5, 2007)

I have a friend who is a Senior Engineer with British Energy and he states they can hardly keep their stations going because of a lack of engineers, not for the nuclear side but the steam/water/general areas. It is right across the board from the Chartered Engineer to the man on the tools. They just cannot recruit. The young want to look at computers all the time.
Thirty years ago we had thousands of engineers.

Best regards
jimmys


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

*Fergusons Shipyard - Port Glasgow*



Derek Roger said:


> Does not Fergusons do ship repair ?? Derek


Derek,

Further to my previous post, see the attached article.

Sadly, it sounds as though Fergusons death knell has been sounded. (MAD) 

It's also a shame that the BBC link shows Greenock's James Watt Dock and not Fergusons Yard! [=P] 

 Fergusons Yard – Port Glasgow ….


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Gulpers said:


> Derek,
> 
> Further to my previous post, see the attached article.
> 
> ...



 A further update from BBC News….


----------



## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

Local Press opinion. (MAD) 

Greenock Telegraph Monday 5 March 2007 …….


----------

