Coastal Workboats has signed a ten-year lease agreement with Stornoway Port Authority, which will see the relocation of its fabrication to the Stornoway site.
The move will allow Coastal Workboats to build its range of craft at Stornoway including those designed by and/or ordered by Dutch shipbuilder, Damen.
The first project will the construction of an electric workboat, funded by a £6.2m million grant from the UK government.
The agreement is set to create 25 jobs within the local marine manufacturing sector.
The new facility will be supported by Coastal Workboats 3D CAD design to allow greater efficiency in the fabrication process that itself is planned to include the use of advancing technologies.
“This partnership reaffirms our commitment to fostering innovation and growth within the marine industry,” said Alex Macleod, chief executive at Stornoway Port Authority.
Ambitious projects
“The facility at Goat Island is world-class, with overhead cranes specifically designed for vessel construction and we are thrilled to support Coastal Workboats as they undertake these ambitious projects.
“This agreement also marks the return of a dedicated shipbuilder in Stornoway for the first time in 100 years, and we are proud to have played our part in bringing this industry back to the island.”
Coastal Workboats director, Brian Pogson, added: “As a family-run company, we’ve taken pride in building Coastal Workboats on a foundation of community; actively engaging with a local workforce and supplier network throughout each chapter of our work.
“We’re therefore thrilled to continue this family and friends’ ethos with our move to Stornoway – investing in, learning from and growing with a fantastic community with a national reputation.”
The project is supported by the National Shipbuilding Office.
