A UK ship repairer has beaten records on dry dock utilization rates thanks to major engineering and fabrication projects.
Ship repairers and marine engineering services providers the SMS Group, has broken the records in Lowestoft- the UK’s most Easterly port.
SMS, has an enviable reputation as specialists in ship repair, marine engineering and major fabrication projects in the commercial marine, defence and superyachts sectors. The business also operates, in‐house, a diving and sub‐surface marine engineering division.
The company operates a 14.6m beam x 76.5m LOA dry dock within ABP’s Port of Lowestoft; the site is perfectly situated to support tonnage in the North Sea, English Channel and the Thames Estuary.
This year SMS Lowestoft will have achieved a record breaking dry dock utilisation rate of 90%; the dock has been used for circa 330 days this calendar year.
In addition to works undertaken in the dock the Lowestoft team have completed numerous projects in London on the Thames, in Great Yarmouth and in Harwich, and also alongside at their 100m, lay-by berth.
James Grala, General Manager of SMS Lowestoft comments: “we’ve had a tremendously busy year achieving previously unattainable levels of dry dock utilisation - the whole team have really pulled together and whilst it’s been very hard work we’re proud to have broken a few records”.
He goes on to say: “2020’s going to be a very interesting year for us too; we’re exceptionally busy from February onwards with some limited availability in January; hence I’m keen to fill these few remaining dock slots - rest assured we’ll be as competitive on price as we can”.
He concludes by adding: “many of our local customers, and many of the company’s broader UK customer base, have larger tonnage now, hence I’ll personally be taking a lead in promoting our facility in Cherbourg to our collective customer base. The shiplift in Northern France is located just 75 miles from the Solent; with a capacity of 3000 tonnes and dimensions of 32m beam x 90m LOA we can cater for far larger vessels. Having docked Brittany Ferries 98m fast ferry in Cherbourg myself I know the facilities potential - it’s a great footprint and this is a very exciting time”.
The SMS team in Lowestoft have the following expertise in-house: mechanical, electrical and hydraulic engineering; pipe works and structural works, both above and below the waterline, in both steel and aluminium, and painting and blasting.
The broader business can also support interior and exterior outfit, and diving and sub-surface engineering.
