Shiplift nets high speed contract for yard

Technical director Brian Needle told MJ that Testbank Ship Repair’s first tasks were ten day refits of two high speed passenger catamarans, Wight Ryder I and II, at the company’s Trafalgar Wharf facility in Portchester.

The high speed ferries are not light weight. They are single decked ferries with a seating capacity of 260, and their introduction in 2009 required new berthing works at both Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier.

Their 40m aluminium cast hulls were hoisted by the company’s 1,000 ton Rolls-Royce Syncrolift, one of the biggest of its kind in the south of England, before maintenance work began.

Testbank brought the mammoth ship lift facility on the Portchester waterside back into service after five years of it being decommissioned with the departure of VT Halmatic. Mr Needle puts a large slice of the business growth, which has been impressive, as coming from the lift’s capabilities.

‘Proportionally, it has probably added about another 30% to the business in the last two and a half years, over and above the rest of our growth, he said. ‘This is around £2 million’s worth of work.’

Since it was refurbished, the Syncrolift has hoisted around 70 or 80 vessels, from tugs to superyachts, for servicing.

The company also recently won a five year, £5m contract with Serco Marine Services to refit their south east fleet based at Portsmouth Naval Base. But it is not just the big companies that are coming to Portchester, one recent contract included the local Gosport Ferry company, which all helps to keep it local.

John Burrows, operations director at Wightlink, pointed out that the skills at Testbank are valued and helps keep it a local affair. The company spends over £4m ever year in ongoing routine maintenance of all its fleet, including annual refits, and the resources stay in the neighbourhood.

‘Testbank are a locally based company, which is important to Wightlink as the investment stays within the area and provides much needed resources and job security in these challenging times’, he said.