In the summer of 2021, Dales Marine, a leading UK ship repair company, announced its new contract to fabricate a new multi-cat style vessel platform for the Aquaculture sector. With over 30 years in vessel repair and maintenance, vessel conversions and dry dock services, Dales was well-positioned to deliver a new vessel build; its in-depth knowledge and experience in vessel engineering and repurposing vessels are ideally suited skills for the new build.
The company supports the aquaculture sector with a full range of dry dock services offered out of its west coast facilities in Greenock and Troon, and Dales also provides offshore technicians and engineers to carry out urgent vessel maintenance and repair services in-situ. IBISWorld reported annual revenue of £943.0m in 2020 for the aquaculture sector and forecasted growth of 3% for the next five years.
International demand for farmed salmon has grown significantly during the past five years, and further increases are expected. Marine Scotland reported 2,088 active Scottish fishing vessels in 2020, a decrease of 10 from 2019. In 2020, over ten-metre vessels were 532, down seven vessels (one percent) from 2019, 1,556 ten metres and under vessels, a decrease of three vessels compared to 2019.
The aquaculture sector forms a key market Dales Marine as they continue to offer support to meet the maritime requirements of the industry. Dales is fully equipped and skilled in providing support, repair, and maintenance to both over 10m and under 10m vessels that are used regularly within aquaculture, whether that’s in the construction of new fish farm sites, maintenance of fish farms, de-lousing vessels, or vessels used to tow pens to their new locations.
Working in collaboration with Marine Design International Ltd, Dales is currently building the multi-cat style vessel incorporating hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical supplies required for operations on the farms and includes propulsion efficiency improvements for transits between sites. The New vessel known as Hull 1001 has been named Réalt na Farraige, and nears her completion, she has moved out of the Aberdeen build hall, which is a significant milestone for the project as we get closer to the launch date in early 2022.
All the mechanical, electrical, and Hydraulic systems are fitted, and in the final stages of installation, she has been painted in the client’s colours and looks fantastic. Michael Milne, CEO, Dales Marine Services, said,
“We know from our records that the Dales dry dock in Aberdeen last saw a vessel built in it during the late 1980s when the dry dock was owned by Halls & Russell. So it is an exciting chapter for the dry dock to be bringing back shipbuilding to Aberdeen, all be it a smaller vessel but hopefully the start of bigger things to come.”
For more information please visit https://www.dalesmarine.co.uk/.