Serco vessel to become medical ship

The 150t vessel, formerly known as the SD Melton, will have medical consultation rooms, a dental clinic, operating room, pharmacy and laboratory onboard. The ship will also accommodate a medical team, including short-term volunteers from the Vine Trust. The charity, which operate in Peru and Tanzania, anticipate the ship’s redesign to be completed and the vessel to be ready for deployment into overseas work over the course of the next 12-18 months.

Rev. Willie McPherson, Vine Trust chief executive, said: “Over the coming months, plans are being prepared and we look forward to beginning the conversion of the vessel during the course of 2019.”

Taking into account that many remote communities cannot travel to their nearest hospital, the ship will provide a safe and hygienic facility which can be accessed easily by patients throughout the year.

Vessel support

Having been involved with the Vine Trust since 2001, Serco’s Maritime Services business in Scotland has provided secure berthing facilities and engineering support at its Greenock base, plus volunteer crew for the long delivery voyages to Mombasa, Kenya and Iquitos, Peru.

Phil Ireland, Serco Maritime Services director, operations and growth said: “We are delighted to transfer ownership of the former SD Melton to the Vine Trust in continuation of our long commitment to supporting a great charity whose vessels deliver invaluable medical care to remote communities.”

Built in 1981, the SD Melton was used as a range safety and passenger ferrying vessel at Kyle of Lochalsh.

By Rebecca Jeffrey