Gibraltar yard aborts super yacht investment

Gibraltar ship repairer Cammell Laird (Gibraltar) Ltd, which in December 2005 announced a £20 million investment in its repair yard to expand its super yacht activities, has totally changed its strategy. A company spokesman said the yard is no longer pursuing any transition to mega yacht work and, instead, it is committed to a long term vision as a commercial shipyard.

The investment was to be spread over five years and would have involved the full enclosure of two of its three drydocks so as to cope with the particle and noise pollution problems from painting, blasting and other operations. The investment would have developed other new buildings and workshops including the setting up of a training school. It was also planned to supplement management with experience of the super yacht refit business.

It is thought the change of policy may have been the result from a change of ownership at the yard and a series of union disputes which occurred in March and April 2007.