The first vessel has been welcomed to Swansea Drydocks in the past three months after extensive refurbishment work on the site has been completed. The vessel that has been taken to the docks is a 4933 deadweight tonne cargo vessel MV “Arklow Raider”. The cargo ship will be the first to make the most of the newly upgraded facilities that are operated by Swansea Drydocks Limited, or SDL.

The extensive refurbishment work that was carried out at the SDL base in the Associated British Ports’ port of Swansea, were carried out with investment into the essential infrastructure of the Drydocks.  This refurbishment included work to the caisson, lock gates, impounding pumps, electrical systems and engineering workshops.

The port of Swansea has a long developed history of ship repair work that stretches back to the early 20th century. A long-term lease has been signed between SDL and ABP that will allow the Drydocks to utilise the geographical position in order to dry dock vessels of up to 35,000 dwt. These types of vessels are usually in operation in Northern European waters, making this facility in a great location for offering their ship repair services.

This long term commitment that has been made by SDL is a commitment to continue the legacy of their ship repair work at the port of Swansea while also offering a boost to the local economy with the offering of skilled employment positions and an increased level of demand for a range of specialist materials and services. The Welsh dry docks will also offer a boost to the local trade, as vessels using the site will be able to offer shippers, and receivers of cargo an increased level of freight opportunities for the import and export of goods through South Wales.

The refurbishments of the drydock facilities in Swansea is great news for the area and will reinvigorate a complete lifecycle service in this industry, which includes surveys, ongoing maintenance, repairs and the recycling of end of life vessels.