A new dawn is breaking at the historic site of Ramsey Shipyard.

Ramsey Shipping Services Limited, which moved in as tenant at the government-owned shipyard earlier this year, aims to make the shipyard the go-to destination for the fishing fleets of the Irish Sea.

The business is writing the next chapter of the shipyard, which is most famous as being the place where the historic full-rigged iron windjammer ship the Star of India was built in the 19th Century, under its original name of Euterpe. It is now a floating museum in San Diego.

The shipyard was also known for building the first oil tanker.

A focal point of Ramsey over the centuries, it is becoming a hive of activity once more. Just last week, there were three fishing vessels in the yard for work, along with a government dredger, the Tarroo Ushtey.

An aerial view of the busy shipyard makes for impressive viewing. The site of an active shipyard is set to become a familiar one for the town.

Ramsey Shipping Services is hoping to expand further and is looking to add to its workforce at the yard.

The company, which was set up in 2014, after taking over from Ramsey Steamship Engineering division, as a workshop, repair and agency service, took over the lease of the shipyard in April.

Director Steve George said: ’We had been working out of a building on East Quay and then we got the opportunity to rent the shipyard.’

A team of eight is based at the yard, one member of office staff and the rest - including welders, fabrication and general engineers - working on vessels and other engineering services.

The company can boast many years of experience in its expert staff and, while the maritime and fishing industry is the focus, it has the skills to provide other engineering services

’We are looking for people suitably qualified,’ said Steve. ’We are keen to add to our staff with the right kind of workers.’

The company has big plans.

’We hope to become the ship repair centre in the middle of the Irish Sea, that is the idea. All the fishing boats that come here - the ones that come from across and those in the Manx fleet - if they need repairing, we want them to come to us in the Isle of Man.’

He said the company was appreciative of the historical significance of the shipyard and hoped to build it up to previous glories.

’Ramsey Shipyard was the site where the Star of India was built,’ said Steve. ’It has a big history and we are looking forward to writing a new chapter.’

One slipway was already operational and RSS hopes to have the others in action soon, to increase the amount of work that can be carried out.

Steve said being in Ramsey had been a benefit and he thanked the commissioners for their support, as well as the Department of Infrastructure, Ports Division, which had been in constant contact with the company as it moved into the shipyard.

’Ramsey has a big future,’ said Steve, adding that the maritime sector could play a large part in it.

RSS also offers full agency services for any type of vessel calling in Isle of Man waters or the Irish Sea. It is an accredited sub-agent of Lloyds Register interests in the Irish Sea.

Ramsey Shipping Services is part of the EMCS group of companies.

EMCS International Limited is an international maritime business with its headquarters in Port Erin. It supplies workers in the maritime industry for repair and maintenance of vessels in service or in drydock/alongside all over the world.

Steve is a director of that business.

It gives both him and Ramsey Shipping Services the ideal background to make a big mark in the maritime industry.

Steve, who is also a Port Erin commissioner, says that he has to put in the miles to keep on top of businesses at opposite ends of the island, but added that there were benefits to being based in locations outside of Douglas.

’Both Ramsey and Port Erin have a buzz about them,’ he said. ’In this day and age it is quite straight forward to run an international business from most places, if the right support is in place.’

One thing is for sure, Ramsey Shipping Services aims to put the town’s historic shipyard back on the map.

To discover more about what is happening, visit www.emcs.co.im and if you want to find out more about the kind of skills Ramsey Shipping Services is looking for, email [email protected]