MCTAYS Invests $1.7m in Facility Upgrade

A shipbuilder has invested more than $1.7million (£1million) at its headquarters, including upgrading a slipway which is now capable of accommodating vessels up to 2,000 metric tons.

MCTAYS, the shipbuilding subsidiary of HS Ocean Group of Companies, opened the upgraded slipway at its yard in Birkenhead on the banks of the River Mersey to coincide with its 40th anniversary.

Peter Breslin, Managing Director of MCTAYS, said the slipway will enable the shipyard to accommodate vessels up to 90 meters in length: “Over the last 40 years, MCTAYS has built 120 specialist ships and marine structures. The upgraded slipway will bring larger vessels into our yard and will ensure MCTAYS will go from strength to strength.”

The upgrade included increasing the overall length of the slipway and the procurement of a new slipway winch which is capable of slipping vessels up to 2,000 metric tons. MCTAYS also invested in additional offices for attending owners and superintendents. 

The slipway will enable MCTAYS to provide a full range of emergency repair and planned services including UHP hull cleaning, the application of surface coatings, steel hull repair and replacements, all mechanical repairs and full electrical surveys.

MCTAYS currently has the SMIT Tug Zeebrugge on the slipway and at around 600 metric tons proves the capability of the slipway, winch and upgraded facility. SMIT said she is the first vessel to be slipped in this way, for a four week out of service lay-up, something that has caused interest worldwide.

The first vessel to take advantage of the newly upgraded slipway was the Mare Gratia, a 43-meter mussel dredger which operates in the Irish Sea, for work carried out on the preparation of the application of surface coatings and mechanical repairs.

MCTAYS shipbuilding division is also expanding. The yard has recently built the Multi-Role Vessel (MRV) Vital for Carmet Tugs and has secured a contract with waste management company Cory Environmental to build four barges which will operate on the River Thames.

Breslin added, “MCTAYS customers include fishing fleets operating off the U.K. coast, as well as tugs, crew transfer vessels, passenger ferries and offshore supply and support vessels.”

The new slipway was officially launched during an open day held at the shipyard to coincide with the International Festival of Business.

MCTAYS said it continues to win a range of high profile work. It has just completed a significant project for the defense sector, while the group’s ship repair and refurbishment specialist riding squads continue to be awarded major projects worldwide.

MCTAYS is also increasingly in demand for the design, engineering and construction of high value, specialist fixed and floating structures for the energy sector.

In addition to MCTAYS, HS Ocean Group of Companies includes HSOG which is a leading provider of specialist services to the oil and gas, marine, power and utilities industries worldwide. The company has a network of offices in the Caribbean, Congo, Gabon, Western India, mainland Europe, Malta, South Africa, U.K. and U.S.A.

mctays.com