Maritime engineering company Intermarine UK has unveiled growth plans after investing a six-figure sum in a new 2,400sqm fabrication and welding facility at Portland Port in Dorset, U.K. creating up to 60 new jobs for local people in the next two years.
The move sees Intermarine UK sign a 20-year lease and move its U.K. head office from Bridgend to Portland Port, a former naval base and the world’s second largest manmade harbor.
Inter Marine Group President Slawomir Kalicki said the Polish owned company will start operations from March offering ship repair services at Portland. In addition, he said the facility is looking to work with shipyards around the UK offering a range of engineering services to the ship repair, refit, conversion and shipbuilding markets.
“We see huge potential in Portland Port as one of the best located ports in Britain,” he said. “It sits on pole position for naval and commercial shipping operating on the South Coast and English Channel. Our aim is to complement the range of maritime services already available at the port by offering more extensive ship repair facilities encouraging ship owners to use Portland Port for afloat repairs. The depth and size of the harbor means Portland can accommodate ships of all sizes from naval vessels to cruise ships to ferries and tankers. Furthermore, we see there is a strong skills base in the region and we are actively looking to employ local skilled maritime engineers and encourage workers to get in touch.”
Portland Port CEO Bill Reeves said Intermarine UK’s new facility will strengthen Portland Port’s operations.
“It is great news for Portland Port and the local economy that the Inter Marine Group has decided to base its UK headquarters in Portland,” he said. “There are exciting new job opportunities being offered by Intermarine UK, with more to come as it becomes established.”
Kalicki said Intermarine UK has bought a variety of new equipment for the facility including CNC plasma cutter press break, hydraulic pyramid rolls and other steel production machinery. He said the operation would be run by Craig Didio, who previously was involved into other serious project where Intermarine was involved.
“The Inter Marine Group draws on nearly 30-years’ experience in the maritime industry and 10 years working in maritime engineering,” he said. “We work with shipyards across the U.K. including BAE, Babcock, Cammell Laird, Fergusons and A & P and we have worked on big projects like the QUEEN ELIZABETH class aircraft carrier program. We plan to use all that expertise and our new facility here at Portland to catapult our services further into the wider U.K. maritime industry. Our services will focus on fabrication, welding and electrical services. This includes hull and deck repairs as well as pipe work design, installation and upgrade. We will further offer mechanical services including pump and valve overhauls and engine room upgrades. Moreover, we can undertake gallery and electrical upgrades and we can fabricate gates, handrailing and staircases.”
Kalicki said other prime areas for growth included shipbuilding and the offshore industry where it can build super structures and ‘yellow steel’ products.
“Another core area where we can help ship owners and operators is ballast water treatment services,” he said. “This has become a formidable challenge for ship owners as from the end of 2017 ships are required to conform with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) new rules on ballast water management while at the same time the United States Coast Guard (USCG) is toughening up on the enforcement of its own regulations on ballast water discharge. We can offer real solutions for ship owners with advice on the best systems to install. There are strengths and weaknesses with each design but we can give ship owners full visibility and independent advice on which is best for their ship.
In addition Intermarine UK we will be providing ship spare parts from Portland including Wartsila, Cegielski, Sulzer, MAN, B&W and Cummins engines, Hydroster IMO pumps, Alfa Laval and Westfalia separators, ABB and Napier and WSK turbochargers as well as marine laundry equipment made by Primus and Lavamac.
