We would love to hear your thoughts about our site and services, please take our survey here.
Looks like the lads (and lasses) have already had a good sweep up at the yard to make way for some big new lumps of metal:
https://www.harland-wolff.com/facilities/methil/
Looks like H&W have now set up a page on their website for each location accessible via "Facilities" on the front page
Looks like H&W Belfast has bought itself a state-of-the-art present its 160th anniversary:
https://www.motorship.com/news101/ships-and-shipyards/belfast-yard-invests-in-robotics
Issue 25 of Rov Planet Magazine (aimed at Subsea Contracting market) has a write up about Triumph here:
https://issuu.com/rovplanet/docs/rovplanet_magazine_025__web_/s/11398658
"The Windfarm Development Vessel (WDV) [for which H&W are being contracted] is the same vessel as the FDV [Triumph's vessel for offshore oil & gas, subsea telecoms, decommissioning and renewables markets] but with minimal changes so that it is more suited to be a turnkey solution for floating windfarm installations. The WDVs can install the anchoring system; suction piles, drag anchors or drilled pin anchors; mooring array installations; execute the hook-up of the floaters; install the export cable and array cables"
So, while Triumph's FDV builds are being undertaken at a yard in Croatia (someone posted previously), H&W clearly get a great opportunity to establish their credentials in this specialist shipbuilding sector.
We can also see from Triumph's site that their Windfarm Development Vessels (WDVs) are designed by Skipsteknisk, a Norwegian specialist ship design consultancy > https://www.skipsteknisk.no/ a connection that INFA would no doubt want to cultivate given the shared interest in the maritime green energy industry.
Lots of positives to take from this new contract if it comes to fruition.
Looks like this contract would potentially introduce a raft ('scuse the pun) of new environmentally related technologies into H&W's construction processes given the likely spec of the Triumph vessels:
https://www.triumph-subsea.com/technology
That new knowledge and capability would be highly transferable in the green maritime industry
Courtesy of Mr Oz. on ADVFN (from 21:26):
https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-notes/podcast-new-switchblade-600-us-army-robotic-combat/
Given the global perspective of this article, it's nice to read the following in this industry publication (H&W are at #5 in the list):
"The other major shipbuilders have experience and goodwill, both of which are important in this industry. For instance, the shipyards of Damen (Netherlands) and Harland & Wolff (Northern Ireland) enjoy enormous goodwill amongst prominent ship operators and continue to be the sole manufacturers for some established shipping lines."
https://www.marineinsight.com/know-more/list-of-major-shipbuilding-companies-around-the-globe/
That's what you want as a new MD when you're trying to rebuild a business that's been on its knees.
Just a link I picked up today to a recent assessment of flood risk at the Appledore Yard carried out by a 3rd party, presumably as part of INFA's due diligence...thankfully looks like there's no concerns here:
https://www.deltasimons.com/case-studies/appledore-shipyard-north-devon
Perhaps, but with due regard to any constraints within the Withdrawal Agreement. The section on the Northern Ireland Protocol that covers State Aid in this link looks relevant:
https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/internal-market-bill
The latest controversial Internal Market Bill could well be relevant in this context if it's passing could allow govt to provide state aid to H&W that might otherwise not be allowed were we to remain "aligned" with the EU....no politics intended.
Chris - the nervousness you feel around the awarding of the ML is understandable and no doubt shared by others. To that end, I think management instructed legal counsel with some very specific purposes in mind:
- To assist in unblocking whatever logjam exists in DAERA that has thus far prevented them from making a decision
- To inform the decision making process through the view of a heavyweight legal professional with specific experience in this field in the form of David Elvin QC (his very impressive CV is available here > https://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/wp-content/themes/landmark/download.php?post_id=475)
- To underline to DAERA the legal weight of argument INFA is willing to bring to the process
- To make clear to DAERA the lack of further grounds for delaying the process
It's all about bringing clarify to a decision that has, no doubt, become mired in environmental, regional and political issues over the years and may continue to be so unless significant rigour and urgency is brought to bear on the process.
Time will tell whether the legal intervention helps to cuts through the chaff, but I make it a good move by JW.
Hadn't seen this H&W Board appointment before:
https://www.harland-wolff.com/meet-the-team/#perrykennedy
Given some of the contractual leverage and synergies that could flow from having two complimentary yards in Belfast and Appledore, should we expect the senior H&W management team to operate across both businesses?
The company now known as HARLAND AND WOLFF (APPLEDORE) LIMITED was incorporated as INFRASTRATA PROJECT 2 LIMITED on 18th June 2019 with the change to the new name becoming effective on August 27, 2020:
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/12055724
Interestingly, the Nature of Business doesn’t define activities related to shipbuilding or ship repair, but instead shows gas trading and transportation, which perhaps suggests the Project 2 company was originally intended for the FSRU project.
Some have noted the Langham family’s historical connection with the Appledore Yard, and this appears to continue today by way of a charge against Harland & Wolff (Appledore) Ltd from Appledore Land Limited in which the family (John Christopher Langham - Director) have an interest:
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/12055724/charges
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/01098114/officers
An Appledore page has now been added to the H&W website:
https://www.harland-wolff.com/appledore/
Blue - liking the cut of your jib there...shipbuilding is an old, heavy industry the likes of which have largely long departed these shores....more or less. But, on a good day our engineering skills are a match for, or better than, any on this planet and so, taking JW at his word, I'm giving the man a chance and looking forward to a financially beneficial outcome for all stakeholders, not least the good folk of N. Ireland.
As a newcomer here, I don't have the history with INFA that others may have with it and its predecesors. That could be both a good and a bad thing, hence why I'm cutting JW and his team some slack where others may think it undeserved. With his lego set out he's clearly trying to build something in INFA which isn't entirely or even, perhaps, largely in his gift (ML?), but so far I'm following the dots and to my untrained eye it seems he's getting it more right than wrong.
Many are eager for news, and given the history of this company and the casino that is AIM, that isn't uncommon. However, we must recognise that many of the "building" tasks in which the company will currently be engaged (legal and governmental wrangles over the ML, negotiations with potential H&W customers, financial & commercial discussions around around viability of the Barrow-in-Furness FSRU) must take place behind closed doors and without any commentary in the public domain.
With a seasoned management in place to looking after our best interests, here's to some good news as and when it's ready. JW seems to recognise the value of social media at some level, so won't want to lose whatever currency he feels he's acquired with it thus far...
OK, ramble over and have a good weekend one and all. Oh, just one last thing...
Cymru Am Byth!
A current, annotated snapshot of H&W from the https://www.marinetraffic.com site (the 3 x Viking sisters & 1 x Stena ferry):
https://ibb.co/zVCprZr
Blue - I think the only detox work that H&W do it for old oil rigs rather that ships crew ;~)
Interesting to see this Northern Irish legal firm have been recently appointed to assist INFA in the ML process:
https://www.carson-mcdowell.com/what-we-do/landmark-transactions/carson-mcdowell-advises-infrastrata-plc-on-marine-licence-application
Grant McBurney is the relevant partner:
https://www.carson-mcdowell.com/who-we-are/our-people/grant-mcburney
For anyone who isn't already a reader of "Drydock" magazine ;~)
I assume his reference to Armegeddon relates to the anticipated volume of work by year end.
htTps://www.drydockmagazine.com/waiting-for-armageddon/
In terms of the value of the current Stena contract, its reported as £2.5 million:
Not sure it’ll let me post this link ( remove the hyphen )
h-ttps//www.cruiseandferry.net/articles/harland-wolff-to-upgrade-six-stena-line-vessels-1