Greener shipping drives Cammell Laird ferry business

BIRKENHEAD shipyard Cammell Laird said it has had its busiest year yet for ferry repairs as the sector seeks to meet tough new environmental requirements.

Since the start of 2013 it has carried out nearly 50 jobs for ferry operators, with half of them in its dry dock.

In a statement the company, which is now 75% owned by the Peel Group, said it repaired, built and converted almost 250,000 gross tons of ferries for a range of owners in 2013.

So far this year it has docked and repaired ferries of 150,000 gross tons.  

Customers include Caledonian MacBrayne, Isle of Man Steam Packet Company, Irish Ferries, Mersey Ferries, NorthLink Ferries, Orkney Ferries, P&O Ferries, Seatruck Ferries and Stena Line.

Cammell Laird technical manager Paul Ashcroft said: “There has never been greater pressure on ferry companies to become greener than now. As a result we have developed a highly advanced and specialised new environmental package addressing some of the hardest challenges. This covers carbon emissions, airborne pollution and the spread of aquatic nuisance species.”

In the year to March 2013 Cammell Laird recorded a pre-tax profit of £10.4m on sales of £115.9m.