Feature 6 | UK Strong start for A&P
Te A&P Group has enjoyed a consistent stream of business and contract wins throughout the past year, despite the extremely competitive market, and has got off to a record-breaking start to 2011.
A
&P Group’s Hebburn yard in the North East of England has secured a string of new contracts, giving it ‘the
best start to the year in living memory.’ Tis success has meant A&P Tyne’s permanent staff has grown from 210 to 242, including 18 apprentices, and an extra 390 agency and sub-contracted jobs have been created to handle the level of work currently underway at the yard. While some of this additional labour is required for work in connection with new aircraſt carriers for the UK Ministry of Defence, there has been some positive news in the repair and conversion sectors as well. In recent weeks A&P has started on the
the refit and major overhaul of the 9640dwt deepwater pipe lay vessel, Deep Constructor, and the multi-purpose vessel Wellservice, both for Technip. Te company is also busy with traditional ferry work, including a significant refit of the P&O Ferries’ ro-pax, Pride of York. According to A&P Tyne managing
director, Stewart Boak: “It has proved to be an amazing, record-breaking start to 2011. It’s the best we’ve ever had and great news, not just for the yard but for the region as a whole.” Alongside commercial vessel work, which
has tended to focus on specialised vessel types, military refits and upgrades also continue to keep the group busy, despite defence cuts. A refit of the Royal Navy training ship HMS Bristol is underway at Hebburn, while at A&P’s Falmouth yard RFA Cardigan Bay docked in early 2011 for general maintenance, as part of a five year rolling contract with the MoD to provide upkeep support to some of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. Following the planned three-week maintenance period, the RFA Cardigan Bay is expected back in Falmouth in August for a major refit similar to that of the RFA Mounts Bay, which was completed last year. A&P group managing director, Chris Bell,
said: “Our relationship with the Ministry Defence remains strong. Tere is no doubt,
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Work under way on the refit of Deep Constructor at A&P’s Hebburn yard.
however, that the ongoing affect of the cuts in the defence industry will be seen in the months and years ahead.” Indeed, as a result of the UK’s government’s spending cuts, A&P has had to review the way it works with the RFA and this has led to a much
more economical approach to shiprepair and maintenance throughout the flotilla. A&P’s work with the ministry of defence
(MOD), and its experience in military shiprepair and conversion generally, has helped win the group further contracts
Shiprepair and Conversion Technology 1st Quarter 2011
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