“Seawork is the best place for us in terms of securing new contracts and also consolidating existing ones, Ray Milner, sales manager for North Sea Winches told MJ. “As well as promoting our new lightweight aluminium winches towards the renewable energy market, we’re there to promote our expertise as hydraulic engineers and system designers too.”
He said that the emphasis this year will also be on the lower end of the tug market, from ten to 50 tons.
It is from this market that North Sea Winches has gained some of its bigger contracts more recently. They secured a contract with Williams Shipping at last year’s Seawork for a 17 ton GM-400 two speed mooring winch for the work tug Will Supply. The contract also included a 5 ton capstan winch and a full set of hydraulics for the vessel. This contract followed the successful kitting out of the Williams tug Will Challenge two years previously.
North Sea Winches has also demonstrated its expertise in kitting out mid-range vessels. This includes recently securing successful contracts with Hepworth and Holyhead Towing. The company secured an £80,000 contract for two anchor windlasses built to Lloyd’s certification for one of Hepworth’s dredgers, supplied along with a full hydraulics and pump package.
North Sea Winches has also been acquiring international contracts, namely in West Africa, by supplying a new 25 ton constant tension winch and controls for cable-laying duties. They hope to continue to increase their workload there.
North Sea Winches focus is not limited to small and mid-range vessels, however. The company is well equipped to deliver everything from smaller half ton utility winches for small workboats right through to 200 ton winches for anchor handling, mooring and towing.
