A&P Group Reports Positive Outlook
"Ship repair in the U.K. is looking positive for 2003" say the A&P Group, who has confirmed that all 14 of their dry docks are full with various vessels under repair, refit and conversion. A&P Tyne is currently hosting a number of ships including Stirling Shipmanagement's 2,270dwt offshore supply vessel Putford Enterprise, the 2,067dwt offshore supply vessel Pacific Banner owned by Swire Pacific Offshore, Boyd Line's 1,621grt Arctic Warrior and P&O Ferries' 20,446grt PO Kent. Across the river at A&P Tyne's Hebburn facility is Technip Offshore's 9,158grt diving support vessel CSO Wellservicer, which is due to leave the dry dock on January 12 . This will be followed by the De Beers Diamond Mining vessel the !Gariep, which is due in the yard for a conversion project due for completion in May and involves the insertion of a mid-body section. Across the border at River Dee Ship Repairers in Aberdeen, the team is currently working on Caledonian MacBrayne's 5,221grt passenger/car ferry Caledonian Isles which is undergoing a 19 day repair and refit program. A&P Southampton has a busy few months approaching as the ferry season kicks in, with the first two ferries - P&O Ferries' 25,122grt PO Canterbury and Wightlink's 482grt fast ferry FastCat-Ryde, both ferries nearing completion after a 19 day 'double dry docking' refit period at the facility. Next to arrive in Southampton is P&O Ferries' 28,559grt PO Provence which will share the dry dock with two more Wightlink vessels - the 764grt Caedmon and the 2,983grt St. Helen.Meanwhile, at A&P Falmouth, the ferry season has also arrived. Currently at the yard are four ferries including P&O Ferries' 37,583grt Pride of Bilbao and the 22,986grt European Seaway, Red Funnel's 2,881grt Red Falcon is in the No. 4 dry dock (the Solent based ferry operating on the Southampton/Isle of Wight service) and Sea Containers 3,003grt Seacat Danmark has also arrived for her annual dry dock and repairs. A&P Birkenhead has been consistently busy since re-opening as an A&P facility in 2002, and continues to welcome vessels to its dry docks. Currently undergoing repairs is Irish Ferries' 25,745grt Normandy, which has arrived for a 14 day repair period and the second of three Mersey Ferries due to visit the yard - the 751grt Royal Daffodil.