Moray Council Orders New Dredger

The Moray Council and Macduff Shipyards Ltd. have entered into a £2.4 million contract for the construction of new dredger. The vessel will be a replacement for the Shearwater, which the council sold more than two years ago.

The new vessel will be built at Macduff Shipyards’ fabrication facility at Buckie harbor which the company acquired last year.

Construction work on the 25.7m dredger, which will be powered by two 500hp engines, is expected to be completed by spring of next year.

The intention is that the dredger will service Moray Council’s harbors – Buckie, Burghead, Hopeman, Findochty, Portknockie and Cullen – as well as being available for hire.

The new dredger, which was designed by Macduff Ship Design Ltd, will be capable to dredging to a depth of 8m with its bow-mounted excavator.

John Watt, managing director of Macduff Shipyards, said: “This is a fantastic contract for us which will consolidate our position at the Buckie fabrication facility and provide continuity of employment in the coming year with an increased workforce.”

“The new dredger represents a significant investment for the council and underlines our commitment to Buckie harbor in particular and to the increasing role which we hope it will play in future economic development in Moray,” Councillor John Cowe, chairman of Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure services committee said.

Moray Council has contracted out its dredging operations since the ageing Shearwater was disposed of to a company based in Rosyth.

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