Nova Scotia ship repair yard back in operation

Canada’s Shelburne, Nova Scotia, shipyard is back in business with the help of a Canadian $8.8 million investment by the  province,

“Shipbuilding is in our blood in Nova Scotia. The province believes in the people of Shelburne and the future of shipbuilding in Nova Scotia,” said Premier Darrell Dexter, yesterday.

The yard is now owned by Irving Shipbuilding, which invested C$16.6 million in upgrades, to modernize the yard’s cradle and marine railway, as well as the wharf. Irving’s purchase of the yard was a condition of the province’s investment.

“A viable shipyard is significant to the economy of Shelburne and its surrounding communities,” said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Sterling Belliveau. “This means good jobs in a vibrant sector for years to come.”

Most of the upgrades were completed by Shelburne Ship Repair employees. There are currently 38 employees in the yard with repair work underway and bids for more work submitted.

“The investment to modernize and upgrade Shelburne Ship Repair is a testament to the opportunity we see in the skills and experience of the men and women who work at this facility,” said Jim Irving, CEO of Irving Shipbuilding. “There is a solid market for repair work and we have the skilled workers to do those jobs, but we needed a facility that could accommodate larger vessels. We want to thank Premier Dexter and the province of Nova Scotia for seeing that potential, too, and supporting us in this major refurbishment.”

The upgrade was completed between April 2010 and August 2011 and include removing the old cradle and marine railway and designing and building new ones to accommodate two larger vessels simultaneously. It also included dredging and reconstructing the wharf, general paving and repairs, fencing, and shop and office repairs.

“We also want to thank our employees and their families,” said Steve Durrell, president Irving Shipbuilding. “They remained loyal to Shelburne Ship Repair, completing the two-year modernization project and even travelling to work on some of our other repair and build projects.

“To the many local businesses and suppliers who helped make this renewed vision a reality, thank you for contributing to a future full of opportunity.”

September 14, 2011