Businessman Steve George believes Ramsey’s ’feel-good factor’ has been given a welcome boost after clinching the contract to carry out dry-dock work in the town’s shipyard on the cargo ship Silver River.

It is the first time in 20 years that the local shipping company WS Mezeron has made use of the shipyard slipway to carry out a special survey of the 144-ft long Silver River.

Mr George said Ramsey had succeeded in ’wrestling the Silver River from Poland’, to carry out the work. Mr George, managing director of Ramsey Shipping Services, which is carrying out the work, believes it is ’fabulous news’ and is a vote of confidence in Ramsey.

And he added that in his opinion an £800,000 government project to boost the marine engineering sector in and around the town’s shipyard has been helping to spark a new feeling of confidence in the northern capital.

He agreed the ’significant milestone’ could herald the dawn of a new era for Ramsey with the return of its ’feel-good factor’.

He said: ’Ramsey shipyard has been moving from strength-to-strength to the point where WS Mezeron has shown sufficient confidence in us by awarding us the contract to carry out the work to allow their vessel Silver River to undergo its five-yearly special survey.

In addition Mr George’s company has created an extra eight jobs since it relocated its operation to the yard in 2018. There are now 15 employees, along with a couple of apprentices, which Mr George said signals future confidence in the maritime work sector.

The phased improvement plan, totalling around £800,000 was undertaken by the Department of Infrastructure, which is responsible for the site, after the shipyard was identified as a vital element of the harbours strategy in 2018.

This cash boost was made in support of the decision by Mr George’s firm of marine engineers and shipping agents to relocate there.

Infrastructure Minister Tim Baker MHK said: ’Getting the Silver River on the slipway for this important project is fantastic to see.

’It symbolises significant progress and provides assurance that the investment being made into our marine sector is paying off for the local economy.

’As a sea-faring nation, it is vital that we protect and encourage growth in this area and I look forward to more large vessels from on and off-island using the new and refurbished facilities.’

WS Mezeron managing director Steve Walton said: ’Our aim has always been to keep our business local, whenever possible. The team at Ramsey Shipping Services have been invaluable, even more so during the Covid pandemic, and this latest collaboration is the product of a solid working relationship.

efficient

’Both teams have been able to plan this dry dock to be as efficient as possible, which is essential for us to maintain services between the North West UK at Glasson Dock, and out of Belfast direct into Ramsey.

’I hope our relationship continues to get stronger from this.’

Meanwhile, Mr George said he wished to thank the Department of Infrastructure for investing in Ramsey as it helped secure the work on the Silver River and to ensure continuity of employment for staff.

Work aimed at ensuring the operational future of the slipways and improvements to facilities involved resurfacing and provision of services to the boat park area used by both leisure and commercial vessels, stabilisation of quay walls and improved lighting.

Main haul wires have been replaced on the slipway winches, rails have been repaired and carriages and bogies newly fabricated.

Improvements to the power supplies for the slipways and commercial quayside make it easier to cater for vessels’ requirements during periods of maintenance, and fencing has been installed in the commercial area for public safety and security.

The slipways have continued to be used by a range of smaller vessels while the works have been underway. Looking ahead, it is hoped that the proven ability to accommodate Silver River and cater for larger projects, which would otherwise have been lost to the local economy, will lead to further interest in the Ramsey facilities.

afloat

Ramsey has a history of ship building, the Star of India, the world’s oldest iron-hulled merchant ship still afloat, was built in the town.

Two years ago it returned to the waters after an overhaul in the USA.

The ship is owned by the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

Dubbed ’once in a decade’ by its owner, the Maritime Museum of San Diego, the work saw the vessel spend 10 days in dry dock. While in dry dock, restoration and maintenance of The Star included hull hydro-blasting, and application of anti-fouling and top side paint.

The ship, originally called Euterpe, was built in Ramsey by Gibson, McDonald & Arnold for the Indian jute trade of Wakefield Nash & Company of Liverpool.

She was launched on November 14, 1863, and still sails at least once a year.

Data on visitors and school groups show Star of India attracts more visitors than any other ship in the Maritime Museum’s current collection.

Restored by the museum in 1951, her popularity was demonstrated by the groups of people who lined the waterway to see her leave dry dock and return to her berth.