Funding award uplifts Mainstay Marine’s MRE capabilities

Mainstay Marine’s facilities (Photo: Mainstay Marine)

 
Mainstay Marine Solutions has secured funding to support the purchase of 150/200-tonne amphibian hoist that will expand its ability to provide services for vessels and marine renewable energy (MRE) devices.

Mainstay Marine Solutions, workboat and marine renewable energy device builder located in Pembroke Dock on the Milford Haven Waterway, said the new hoist will be capable of lifting vessels and devices out of the water and moving around its 4.6 hectare site and into the company’s 4000 m2 of workshop space.

The hoist will add to the existing infrastructure, increasing the maximum lifting capability in the Haven from 35 tonnes currently. It will be capable of lifting structures up to 35 meters in length with a 10-meter beam and a draft of 4.5 meters, according to Mainstay Marine.

Stewart Graves, Managing Director at Mainstay Marine, said: “The hoist will complement the recent upgrades to our slipways to allow us to expand our capabilities. We will be able to work on more structures at any one time as we will be less dependent on slipway availability, meaning a quicker turnaround and more cost-effective solution for our customers.”

The funding was awarded through Coastal Communities Fund (CFF), and forms a part of a total project cost with the remaining funding coming from the company’s own reserves.

It is anticipated that the hoist will complement the £76 million Swansea Bay City region development project, ring-fenced for Pembroke Port to support the marine renewable sector in Wales.

To remind, Mainstay Marine has already built the 200-tonne tidal energy turbine for Tidal Energy Ltd, and a wave energy device for the Welsh-based wave energy developer Wave-tricity. The company has recently won another contract from Wave-tricity for the second phase of the device development.