Antigua Slipway Launches Second Phase of Marine Railway Redevelopment

SOURCE— Antigua Slipway Ltd: Antigua Slipway Ltd has launched the second phase of its Marine Railway Redevelopment Project, signing a construction agreement with Meridian Construction as work advances to modernize the historic shipyard in English Harbour.

The company said it has paid the initial project deposit and expects construction to begin during the last week of July.

The project will start with the removal of the original piling structure installed in the 1960s before new steel piles and a modern marine railway are constructed.

Once completed, the upgraded facility will be capable of hauling vessels of up to 250 tons, 200 feet in length overall and 40 feet in beam, making Antigua Slipway the largest single-vessel shipyard in the Eastern Caribbean.

Phase 1 of the redevelopment, involving the dismantling of the existing shore-based railway, is already underway.

According to the company, the redevelopment is expected to create jobs for local contractors and skilled tradespeople during construction while expanding the country’s capacity to service commercial vessels, tugboats and other marine traffic after completion.

Antigua Slipway said the project is intended to strengthen Antigua and Barbuda’s marine sector and reinforce English Harbour’s status as a regional maritime centre.

The company thanked Meridian Construction’s Percy Rhode and Richard Starkey for partnering on the project. It also acknowledged the support of Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Antigua and Barbuda Port Authority General Manager Darwin Telemaque and the National Parks Authority.

Antigua Slipway said the redevelopment will also help preserve the shipwright trade at Nelson’s Dockyard, maintaining a maritime tradition that has been practiced there for more than 300 years while supporting the continued development of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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