Boost for Buckie Shipyard Great News for Town - MSP

Banffshire & Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has hailed the securing of the £2.4million contract to build a new dredger for Moray Council by local firm Macduff Shipyards as great news for Buckie.

The new vessel will be built at the company’s fabrication facility at Buckie harbour which the company acquired last year. Construction work on the 25.7m dredger, which will be powered by two 500hp engines, is expected to be completed by spring of next year.

The intention is that the dredger will service Moray Council’s harbours – Buckie, Burghead, Hopeman, Findochty, Portknockie and Cullen – as well as being available for hire. The new dredger, which was designed by Macduff Ship Design Ltd, will be capable to dredging to a depth of 8m with its bow-mounted excavator.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson said:

“This is great news for Buckie and for Macduff Shipyards. It serves to further develop the already vast expertise of the company and, importantly, keeps these skills in the local workforce.

“The dredger is an important asset in the maintenance of our local harbours and I look forward to seeing it in service next spring.”