NEWS RELEASE
Friday, December 11, 2020
Marine engineer and
shipbuilder join forces to launch new vessel
Two Yorkshire
engineering companies have defied the challenges posed by COVID-19 to continue
surpassing customer expectations.
Hull-based
electrical engineers Pearson Electrical and boatbuilding firm Parkol Marine
Engineering, which has yards in Whitby and Middlesbrough, recently saw their
latest project – the Havara – leave Parkol’s Middlesbrough yard.
Parkol has
garnered an impressive reputation over the past 50 years for designing and
building the highest quality fishing vessels, but Havara is a different kind of
project as it is designed not for fishing, but for carrying feed to salmon
farms in the Shetland Islands.
The 260-ton,
27m-long twin-screw feed carrier has undergone successful sea trials and is now
out at work in the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean, carrying 1.25ton bags of feed
to numerous salmon farms around Shetland and the west coast of Scotland.
Havara’s owner
and skipper Colin Kay, of Shetland LCL Shipping, based on the island of
Whalsay, couldn’t be happier with his new vessel. He said: “The build took just
over a year, and I’m really, really pleased with it. It’s the second boat I’ve
commissioned from Parkol, the first was built in 2014, and I wouldn’t go
anywhere else.”
Naturally, the
coronavirus pandemic had an impact on operations, although it didn’t cause any
delays, and both the Pearson and Parkol teams were able to work flexibly to
ensure they adhered to COVID-secure rules.
“I couldn’t
visit because of the lockdown,” Colin said, “so all our communications were via
WhatsApp and video calls. Despite this, we were still able to build a good
relationship and the outcome is just fantastic.
“Overall I’ve
been very impressed with the service and quality provided by both Parkol and
Pearson Electrical.”
Colin hails
from a fishing background – his parents and brothers have all worked in the
industry – but his business focuses on feeding fish rather than catching them,
and he has more than 20 years of experience under his belt running three feed
carriers.
“It’s seasonal
work really,” he explained. “We’ll be working Havara seven days a week in
summer all around the Shetlands when it’s busy, and not as frequently in winter
when the fish aren’t feeding as much.
“The Parkol designer,
Ian Paton, has done an excellent job. Since our last boat was built the feed
bags have got bigger, from 1ton to 1.25ton, and we needed to be able to fit
them in the hold. The bigger, heavier bags meant we also needed a bigger engine
and crane, and we specifically wanted semi-automatic hydraulically operated
hatches, which makes the crew’s job a lot easier.
“This design
means we can carry more cargo, and are generally quicker and more efficient
with our deliveries.”
Colin runs a
five-man crew, with three on board for each sailing, and Havara is fully fitted
out with five cabins and top end finishing touches. “The quality of the finish
is superb, my crew are all very happy,” he added, “I’m expecting Havara will
last me for the rest of my working days.”
Mark Pearson,
Managing Director of Pearson Electrical, said: “We were commissioned to
undertake a full electrical installation for Havara. During the lockdown we’ve made it a priority to keeping our clients’ projects
moving, while maintaining the safety of everyone involved and adhering to
government guidelines.
“Working in tandem with Parkol, we were able to ensure our crews working on electrical installations could continue to operate while keeping a safe distance. This meant we could all still work to our usual high standards we always produce. The pandemic may have caused us to change some of our ways of working but it hasn’t slowed us down.”
Parkol Project Manager and Director Sally Atkinson said: “We wish Colin
and Havara the best of luck for the future. It was an interesting challenge for
us to design and build a bespoke feed carrier, and we’re all delighted to hear Colin
is so pleased with its performance.
“As always, it was a pleasure to work with Pearson Electrical, who were
able to continue to deliver their excellent service despite the challenges of
the COVID-19 lockdown.”
Havara statistics
Length Overall
27.00 m
Length Registered
23.95 m
Length BP 24.25
m
Breadth Moulded
9.70 m
Amidships Depth
Moulded 4.80 m
Fuel Capacity
15,000 litres approx (2 main tanks)
Fresh Water
Capacity 3,000 litres approx Water Ballast 11 tanks
Maximum Summer
Deadweight 350 tonnes approx (assuming 1.00 metre freeboard being accepted.)
Operating Speed
9 knots
Compliment 5 crew
Two off main
engines for propulsion: Model – Cummins KTA19-M3 447kw@1800rpm
ENDS
Photos of the Havara courtesy of Mike
Upton
For further
information or to arrange interviews, contact Tracy Fletcher of By Tracy
Fletcher Limited PR via tracy@bytracyfletcherlimited.com or 07983 633385.