Latest News

PDL Marine are pleased to announce the signing and start of a new custom build 6.75m Survey vessel for CainTech in Inverness. The vessel is designed to MCA cat 3 standards with certification and is road transportable, along with the shallow draft, it is perfect for working in hard-to-reach areas. Fitted with twin 80hp Yamaha outboards gives a cruising speed of 20 knots. The moonpool also allows It to be equipped with a Norbit Multibeam Sonar system, amongst a plethora of other electronic equipment.

The vessel is designed to operate with up to 4 crew onboard with sufficient weather protection including heating in the cabin. Jim Main, director of CainTech says ‘we are excited to receive our first survey boat, a custom design from the ground up, being road transportable enables us to work in a lot more locations around the country, we already have projects waiting for it when it arrives, a big thanks to the team at PDL Marine for the can do approach and going back and forth until we got the perfect solution for our project requirements.’

CainTech offer a variety of surveys and civil engineering solutions, including Bathymetric surveys, laser scanning, UAV survey and employs over 30 staff members. Visit www.caintechltd.com

PDL Marine and the National Trust are pleased to announce the signing of a contract to design and build a new 12m Landing craft for their site at Orford Ness in Suffolk. The project will enable the National Trust to operate transportation services to the Ness from the main landing point at Orford slipway. The remote shingle spit on the Suffolk Coast is currently accessed by a ferry from Orford quay which, at low tide, can mean walking down a number steep and often slippery steps. However, the new craft will allow wheelchair users, families with buggies or those unable to use steps, step free access to the Ness.

The vessel is designed to carry a vehicle and trailer up to 4 tons or 12 passengers per crossing and will be coded to MCA category 3. The landing craft is fitted with a pair of OXE 150Hp diesel outboards and internal fuel tanks and the wheelhouse can accommodate a helm and two crew, it is also fitted with a bow thruster to assist in the strong current that can flow on the Alde-Ore Estuary.

Glen Pearce, the Property Operations Manager for the National Trust at Orford Ness said:

"In recent years we've strived to make Orford Ness more accessible to our visitors, but the short river crossing still remains a barrier to many of our visitors so the new landing craft will mean so many more people will be able to visit. The new craft will also give us much more flexibility in bringing equipment and the flock of rare breed sheep on and off site making it easier to carry out important conservation work.”

Philip Lovegrove, the managing director at PDL Marine said:

“We are delighted to secure the contract with National Trust for the build of the landing craft and hope it will serve them very well for a long time to come. I wish to pass my thanks on to all the team at National Trust for the opportunity.”

PDL Marine are aluminium boat builders and fabricators at Portchester, near Portsmouth and specialise in landing craft, patrol boats and survey 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.”

For more information about the PLA’s Hydrographic services, please visit: Hydrography | Hydrographic Service | Port of London Authority (pla.co.uk)

After many requests, PDL Marine are pleased to add a new range of smaller workboat vessels in the format of punts. The vessels range from 4m to 8m and have a variety of uses, from workboat maintenance operations to supporting rowing clubs as well as dive operations. 

The vessels are all aluminium and road trailerable and are excellent for operating in shallow waters. For more information, please contact a member of the team at PDL Marine. 

PDL Marine are pleased to announce the completion of some vessels bought in for intensive refit. The vessels range from Survey Vessels requiring major works, including engine refit, wiring and re-certifying to some crew vessels used for a majority of works including filming on the river Thames.  

For more information regarding how PDL Marine can offer minor or major refits, please contact the team. 

PDL Marine launch a second landing craft for the River Thames and Livetts launches.

PDL Marine are proud to launch and complete the trials for the LC800. An excellent vessel, twin OXE150 diesel outboards pushing the boat to 30 knots, the turning circle is awesome. This will be our second Landing craft operating on the river Thames and IMO Tier III Compliant.

Rather than us talking the boat up, this is what the new owner @livettsgroup had to say:
“Your attention to detail and fit out is very good and i am extremely pleased with the finished product. She will join the stables of Bravo Lima and together make an excellent pair of professionally built, well thought out and very durable craft. “

For more information on our wide range of landing craft and workboats, drop us a line to discuss.