New Grab Dredger Gypsey Race on Its Way to Bridlington

Bridlington Harbor’s new grab dredger, named Gypsey Race, is set to arrive at the harbor during the next week, according to the Yorkshire Coast Radio.

The vessel will be used to keep Bridlington Harbor dredged to maintain safe passage for all vessels in and out of the harbor and it is envisaged that the vessel will be chartered out to other similar small ports and inlets to dredge their spoil, said the official release.

Bridlington has been without a dredger for a number of years and they had to rely to on lending Scarborough’s dredger for a couple of years but this did not prove efficient enough for both towns, the Yorkshire Coast Radio informs.

“Unfortunately, when you’re at the mercy of having to pre-book and charter in somebody else’s vessel and then you end up with bad weather or if a contract overruns, you’re shortening up your own availability,” said Margaret Hyland from the Bridlington Harbor Commissioners.

“The previous ‘Gypsey Race’ was a 1940s vessel and eventually became too uneconomical to run due to the age and the hardship of getting parts.”

The vessel, worth around £1 million, was built at the Ardmaleish Boatbuilding Co. Ltd. on the Isle of Bute.

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