Tenacious new start for dry dock (From Western Telegraph)

Tenacious new start for dry dock

MILFORD Docks Company's dry dock is fully operational again, following almost 11 months of closure.

The company board made a difficult decision to withdraw use of the dry dock gate last August, following a report indicating repeated weakening of the facility.

As a result, its subsidiary, Milford Haven Ship Repairers, experienced irrevocable losses, not to mention continued questioning of their long-term presence within Milford Haven. Eleven months on, a new gate has been designed and built with the aim of securing the future of the ship repairing industry within the town. With a design life of 50 years, the new gate reaffirms the Docks Company's commitment to maintaining a ship repairing facility that has played a key role in the colourful history of Milford Docks.

Managing director of the Docks Company, Andrew Brown, is confident the new facility will prove worthy of its £700, 000 design and build cost. Substantial funding has been provided by the Welsh Development Agency.

Mr Brown said: "It's been a difficult time for the ship repairing division without the use of the dry docking facility, but it is pleasing to note that our major customers have been understanding of our position, and we expect the facility to quickly reach the utilisation figures of two to three years ago."

The re-commissioning of the gate could not have been marked by a more impressive first docking than that of the STS Tenacious, one of the Jubilee Sailing Trust's most prestigious vessels, for essential maintenance.

PICTURED: Milford Docks Company managing director, Andrew Brown, and group development and property manager, Jeff Teague.