Plain sailing for Cammell Laird in £5.7m ferry contract

CAMMELL Laird shipyard has secured a £5.7m new-build ferry contract with the Northern Ireland executive.

The Birkenhead marine and specialist engineering company was awarded the project by the Department for Regional Development after an open procurement exercise which attracted interest from shipyards across Europe.

It will see the firm constructing a new car and passenger ferry to replace the existing MV Strangford operating between Strangford and Portaferry in County Down, Northern Ireland. The new ferry is due to be delivered by August 2016.

Commercial director of Cammell Laird, Rob McBurney, said: “We are very pleased to have been awarded the contract for the construction of the new Strangford Ferry.
 
“The company has a long tradition of ship building and we look forward to working with the Department over the coming years.”

The new ferry will have capacity for 28 cars and 260 passengers and will share the ferry operation on a rotational basis with the MV Portaferry II.

“This will provide improved capacity and remove the need for a 7.5 tonne weight restriction that is in place when the MV Strangford is in service.”

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy said: “The new ferry will replace the existing MV Strangford with a new modern ferry that has been designed specifically for this service. When it comes into operation, the new ferry will provide a more reliable and efficient ferry service.”