SHIPYARD NEWS

Dales turns over new Leith in Scotland

16 years ago

Aberdeen based ship repair and maintenance specialist, Dales Marine Services, has expanded its operations on Scotland’s east coast with the lease of a dry dock at the Port of Leith and a workshop at Montrose.

The Imperial Dry Dock at Leith is enabling Dales Marine to handle larger and longer term projects.

The company has leased the two acre harbour site in Aberdeen and a 112m by 21m by 6.5m dry dock since 2004. There are already more than 20 vessels booked in for dry docking this year.

Dales Marine is now operating the Imperial dry dock at Leith on an initial 10 year lease from Forth Ports and is to invest around £250,000 in an upgrade and overhaul, including gate seals, hydraulics, pipework, sluices and pumps, with the dock in use last month.

The facility incorporates purpose built offices and workshop and the 168m by 21.3m by 7.7m dry dock which can take two vessels, such as offshore oil industry safety or supply ships, and deeper draft ships than Aberdeen. Dales has previously used the dock on an occasional basis, with six dockings of offshore industry vessels in 2009.

Managing director Maurice Nicol said, ‘The Port of Leith is helping the business to grow and develop, with the length and depth of Imperial Dock and the availability of plenty of lay by berths meaning that, in addition to our usual range of ships, we will be able to handle larger and more longer term projects. These include naval vessels, with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary a target, and pelagic fishing vessels from Peterhead and Fraserburgh which are currently serviced abroad.’

Offshore industry vessels, ferries, tugs and commercial shipping are also among the potential users of the Imperial Dock, where it is hoped 30 to 40 jobs could be created in the first year of operation.

The first vessel has recently drydocked at Leith since the company took out the long term lease of the facility. Marine Scotland’s fishery research vessel Scotia, managed by Marr Vessel Management, entered the Imperial Dock in mid-March for its annual drydocking, which included engine overhauls, paintwork, and general maintenance over a 10 day period before undergoing sea trials and then mobilisation in Aberdeen.

Two other vessels are also booked for Leith, Sartor Offshore’s standby ship, Ocean Searcher, and a Gulf Offshore platform supply vessel, Volstad Viking.