Page 61: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2005)

June 2005 61

UK Shipbuilding Masterclass

These conclusions manifested in

MasterClass, a continuous business improvement initiative introduced by the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers

Association to assess "from top-to-toe" a shipyard's technology, processes and management and policy strategies. It built upon the established business improvement schemes within the aero- space and automotive industries.

Indeed, between 2001 and 2004, over 60 MasterClasses were undertaken in

UK shipyards, boatyards, suppliers and subcontractors, delivering an average productivity improvement of 26% and leaving each company with a long-term improvement plan and the wherewithal to tackle continuous improvement year on year. Some of the companies that benefited from this scheme included

Buckie Shipyard, Solar Solve, A&P

Falmouth and VT Shipbuilding.

The MasterClass initiative came to an end last year after the UK Department of

Trade and Industry changed the way in which it offers support to the industry.

But despite this, the SSA intends to soon launch a similar concept, with, it is hoped, equally successful results.

The overall effect that this level of commitment has had on the UK mar- itime industry is indicative in the num- ber of military contracts on the horizon.

There is the CVF program, of course, and the A&P Group has been invited to bid for work on the Future Carrier which includes the building of super blocks to be constructed at the A&P dry docks at

Hebburn, Southampton and Birkenhead.

VT Group has been awarded a contract by the Ministry of Defence for the con- struction of a new 80 m Offshore Patrol

Vessel (Helicopter) for the Royal Navy, while the Type 45 Destroyer program is progressing at BAE Systems' facility on the Clyde.

The UK market is dominated by the few big yards, like VT Shipbuilding,

BAE Systems, DML and A&P, success- fully engaged in the large ship market, but predominantly the industry is made up of smaller yards involved in niche markets such as designing and building high precision specialist and one-off vessels. The primary market being fish- ing vessels, survey ships, dredgers,

OSVs, ferries, research vessels, tugs, short sea mini bulkers, fast ferries, mili- tary vessels and, increasingly, supery- achts.

Superyacht Ambitions

There is a synergy between the latter two says Tom Dougherty, director of the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers

Association, who believes established naval builders such as VT, BAE and

Babcock could soon join the likes of

Pendennis and DML in building these luxury vessels. "Superyacht projects", he says, "are vessels that the ship- builders of frigates, fast support craft and other military ships can quite easily turn their hands to because superyachts are also high specification, high-speed craft that need to be built to the owner's exact requirements."

In fact, the SSA is currently trying to secure EU funding to lead a three-year $4.5 million research project into opti- mizing shipyard processes for the spe- cialist building requirements of supery- achts in order to boost this market in the

UK. SSA assistant director

Karl Ward divulged that the Association is working very closely with 11 part-

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