PDL Marine is contracted to refit two of the PLA’s Hydro vessels

PDL Marine, a boat building and fabrication company, has signed a contract with the Port of London Authority (PLA) to refit two of the organisation’s vessels that are used for hydrographic services.

With a jurisdiction of 95 miles of the tidal Thames, the PLA, the UK’s largest port, has contracted PDL Marine for an extensive refit of these two vessels, ensuring the PLA’s in-house marine engineering team is free to focus on routine vessel maintenance as trade on the river continues to grow.

The PLA has a world-leading hydrographic department, the busiest in the UK. The contract with PDL Marine, signed in January, is to refit the PLA’s 18 metre survey vessel Maplin and the 14-metre vessel Thame, formerly an offshore wind farm vessel that was converted for hydrographic use in 2017. The Maplin is finalising the refit this week with target now of being completed by the 6th and transiting back to the Thames at the end of the week. Work will begin on the Thame soon.

John Dillon-Leetch, the PLA’s port hydrographer, said: “This is Maplin’s first major refit since it was built and it will see us well-positioned to deliver our safety of navigation survey programme across the 400 square miles of the tidal Thames, as well as supporting the PLA’s commercial services provision for customers on the Thames and in the South-East.”

Daniel Harwood, the PLA’s marine engineering superintendent, said, “With in house demand for our core engineering services continuing to increase, it is helpful to outsource the refit of these two vessels to PDL Marine, and we’re confident that they will do a good job.”

Philip Lovegrove, managing director of PDL Marine said, “It is a great privilege and pleasure to be able to assist the Port of London Authority with the refit works and we look forward to cementing the relationship for future projects to come.”