New relationship for Seawork exhibitors

Mustang Marine (Wales) Ltd is on target to deliver a new plough dredging vessel to the Port of Tyne in the first half of 2011. This is the third boat to be delivered from the Welsh yard to the Tyne. The first two are a debris collection vessel for the Clean Tyne Project and a 16m pilot boat for the Port of Tyne which are already in service.

The new plough dredging vessel currently under construction at Mustang Marine’s base in Pembroke Dock is their first working in conjunction with the world’s biggest workboat builder, Damen.

With the experience of Mustang Marine’s in-house design team, the Damen 1506 Multicat design is undergoing specific customisation requirements for its role with the Port of Tyne.

The flexible relationship between the two companies has allowed for this bespoke vessel to be built. Mustang Marine prides itself on supplying craft specifically to meet end user requirements. In this case Mustang is taking a well proven hull design and, by working with the Port, modifications have been made to the exterior and interior making it a truly multipurpose vessel.

.The new Multicat’s primary use will be for plough dredging of berths. However, on board equipment including hydraulic crane and winch will allow for various secondary roles such as buoy tendering, berth maintenance, pushing, towing and dive support duties.

The Port of Tyne is one of the UK’s leading Trust Port’s with five business areas, incorporating conventional and bulk cargoes, car terminals, cruise and ferries logistics, and estates.

Brian Reeve, chief technical officer at the Port of Tyne said, ‘We are improving our facilities to meet the demands of a busy and growing port and this is another major investment that adds to our overall capacity to support the many businesses and other users on and around the River Tyne. We look forward to receiving this new addition to our fleet.’

Specific changes to the vessel from the original Damen Multicat design include variations to the wheelhouse arrangement in order to provide day accommodation for two crew and LSA provided for a total complement of twelve. This would not have been possible with the standard Multicat internal layout.

Damen is one of many companies with whom Mustang Marine has a close working relationship. Ian Strugnell, commercial director for Mustang Marine said, ‘We are delighted with our new relationship with Damen and look forward to working together on selected projects in the future. Our in-house design team has proved invaluable yet again, using our strengths as a boat builder to build good quality and durable boats to Damen specifications but adapted to totally suit the needs of the Port of Tyne with this new multipurpose vessel.’