Birkenhead shipyard lands £28m MOD contract.

Mar 5 2008 by Sue McCann, Birkenhead News

BIRKENHEAD’S Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders Ltd has landed a £28m Ministry of Defence contract to overhaul Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Fort Rosalie.

Managing director John Syvret said the contract is the biggest the firm has won since it was set up in 2001.

He said: “This is an enormous boost for the Merseyside marine engineering industry and the result of a huge amount of effort on behalf of our team

“The deal confirms that the Mersey is now back where it belongs - as a centre of excellence for commercial ship repair conversion and military refit.

“Moreover, it reflects our growing status with the MOD. Just before Christmas we were awarded preferred contractor status on a cluster of maintenance contracts for the RFA worth £234m. We are now negotiating our role within those contracts.

“These combined factors put us in a position of considerable strengthen as we prepare to rename NSL as Cammell Laird – a move we hope will catapult us forward in the worldwide market.”

Mr Syvret said NSL, which employs 400 people and is based at the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, wants to use the Fort Rosalie contract to help drive job creation.

He said: “This shipyard has a proud tradition of providing high quality skilled jobs to local people.

“We are passionate about continuing that legacy. This 10-month project will see up to 350 personnel working on the vessel at the same time.”