New owner for Inchgreen Dry Dock

[Lynda Bradford]

Interesting article in the Evening Times that Billionaire Jim McColl is looking at the Inchgreen Dry Dock and the possibilities of building bigger ships than what is currently built at Fergusons Yard. 
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/13489404.Revealed__Billionaire_eyes_new_giant_shipyard_on_the_Clyde/?ref=fbshr

[June Ingram]

Thank you very much, Lynda, for posting the link to the article about Jim McColl.  What he has achieved already is amazing and the possibilities of building bigger ships at Inchgreen Dry Dock is truly exciting.  I hope his plans come to fruition and that shipbuilding becomes renewed on the Clyde.  (Will QE2 figure into all of this ?)

[cameroa]

Emotional heart and mind working overtime already 😮😍😘

[John B Houston]

Like I said folks #dare2dream By virtue of his title "Scottish Billionaire" Jim doesn't tend to back many duds <3

[Lynda Bradford]

I noticed this article in BBC about Jim McColl planning expansion of the Ferguson Marine Shipyard in Port Glasgow

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-34083065

He is planning to invest £65m in the yard, modernising the shipyard and aiming to expand the workforce.

[June Ingram]

Thanks, Lynda, for posting the link to the article about Jim McColl's plans for Ferguson Marine.  It sounds to be a very exciting plan and a great opportunity to have ships built in the UK rather than going elsewhere.   

[Clydebuilt1971]

I noticed this article in BBC about Jim McColl planning expansion of the Ferguson Marine Shipyard in Port Glasgow

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-34083065

He is planning to invest £65m in the yard, modernising the shipyard and aiming to expand the workforce.

As the photo shows, demolition of the current yard facilities is underway. I would think this would be the first significant investment in a commercial Clyde shipyard in decades.

The fact that they are demolishing the facilities and building a ship at the same time is slightly surreal - normally demolition comes with closure and clearance of the site.

As for Inchgreen - I hope Ferguson Marine can at least lease it in the future although significant investment would be required on the site infrastructure and facilities would be required there also (which IMO is the reason that the Carrier Alliance chose Rosyth - which has a smaller drydock but has the facilities etc surrounding it - to assemble the two QE class aircraft carriers currently building for the RN despite looking at Inchgreen at the same time.)

All in all its looking up - the Hebridean Ferries they allude to in the article (for which the winning bid announcement should have already been made) are 2 x 100m dual fuel (Liquified Natural Gas and Diesel) vessels to serve the Arran route alongside current ferry Caledonian Isles and the Uig - Lochmaddy - Tarbert, Harris "triangle" route in the Western Isles (most probably alongside current ferry Hebrides - built by Ferguson in 2000)

I hope Ferguson are the winning bidder - looking forward to attending ship launches in the yard for years to come!!

Gav

[cunardqueen]

Just thinking out aloud here...

Hmmmm Mr McColl is first of all backing attempts to Bring QE2 home, now has considering buying the Inchgreen Dock, and yet one of the prominent people who is trying to Save QE2 has to find his own flight fare out to Dubai...  Surely the Scottish Billionaire could have done the decent thing and bought a round trip air ticket..

[Roy Warrender]

Hi not to sure but I think that they have been given the green light to turn Inchgreen Docks area into a massive retail estate

[John B Houston]

In short answer to the questions posed above, Jim McColl has kindly written off the shortfall of the fundraiser in it's entirety and regards Inchgreen Dry Dock the strength of local feeling between both authorities and citizens of Inverclyde is that we've had enough housing developments eating up our waterfront.  The Dry Dock is one of the biggest in Scotland if not the UK, and is seen as a huge asset.  Any local attempts at redevelopment with yet more houses has been staunchly met with opposition and successfully defeated xx

[Roy Warrender]

Hi John
That's good to know on both counts, is he that's  Jim McColl intending to keep it as a commercial Dry Dock facility or is he looking at it as a possible Berth for QE2. or is that a bit of a political question at the moment
The News Report that I read didn't mention housing but redevelopment as an International ( what ever that means) retail and business park with the probability of several thousand jobs being created 
Incidentally are you any further forward with your proposed interview with Dubai

 

[Peter Mugridge]

It strikes me that the QE2 would fit perfectly as the centerpiece for such a park and she would surely provide things like accomodation and conference facilities without having to clutter up the shoreline with an excessive number of new buildings as would be the case with a conventional such development...

[Roy Warrender]

I Agree it would be a super home for QE2 ,
Inchgreen Port is listed as availiable on a Film & TV location site,  Noting in the information that QE2 was fitted out in the Dry Dock

[Clydebuilt1971]

It strikes me that the QE2 would fit perfectly as the centerpiece for such a park and she would surely provide things like accomodation and conference facilities without having to clutter up the shoreline with an excessive number of new buildings as would be the case with a conventional such development...

The current owners (Peel Ports) have intimated that Inchgreen be leased only for future industrial use - quite frankly we've had enough "retail" parks built in the area - indeed theres one just upriver on the site of the former Lithgows shipyard which despite being created nearly 10 years ago (Tesco were the first to open) is still largely empty apart from a small B&Q opened last year.

Personally I want to see industry back in this area - not shops etc and if that means putting QE2 somewhere else then so be it I'm afraid.

Gav

[Twynkle]

The current owners (Peel Ports) have intimated that Inchgreen be leased only for future industrial use - quite frankly we've had enough "retail" parks built in the area - indeed theres one just upriver on the site of the former Lithgows shipyard which despite being created nearly 10 years ago (Tesco were the first to open) is still largely empty apart from a small B&Q opened last year.

Personally I want to see industry back in this area - not shops etc and if that means putting QE2 somewhere else then so be it I'm afraid.

Gav

Hi Gav
I agree - Peel Ports are 'omnipresent' in many other ports too - Liverpool being a very good example of 'how things must be done'.
A concern here too, will be if Mr McColl only wishes to contribute greatly towards a Clyde orientated venture...
For example - if QE2's Owners wish her to come to Southampton (realistically by far the most profitable port for her - and where Dubai already have a presence), then would Mr McColl still be as generous in his contribution towards the venture? The return there would be much to his advantage!
King George's dock in Soton remains in good use - I asked a while back! So - How much would it cost to build a Dry Dock, if that's going to be the next thing to consider?!
btw - Are you still in the UK, Mr JBH?!
Rosie