Cairns Slipways' work satisfies customers
IT'S business as usual for the team at Cairns Slipways despite its parent company being placed in receivership.
Today, a Townsville-based roll-on, roll-off ferry is due back in the water after a $100,000-plus job while the 75 staff have also completed two $1 million-plus contracts on a barge and another ferry.
Manager Barry Moore said the company, along with other operators, had tendered for another $1 million-plus job and its slipway program had bookings well into next year.
"We’ve kept all our staff and it’s business as usual," he said.
"Our job is to keep the customers returning. They are happy with our work ethic and our ability to perform," he said.
Mr Moore said the staff had been "a great help" despite the economic circumstances of the parent company, the Provic Group.
The group went into voluntary administration on July 15 and McGrathNicol were appointed receivers and
managers.
Mr Moore said the shipyard’s ability to do the work quickly was winning them work.
The latest job, which involved the slipping, refitting, blasting and painting and other work on the 35m Townsville-Magnetic Island ferry Fantasea Arcadia, was proof of the Cairns Slipways flexibility and efficiency.
The ferry travels the island route six times a day, seven days a week, carrying up to 30 vehicles and 60 passengers.
He said it was imperative the vessel be back in the water as soon as possible as the replacement was smaller and slower. “Originally the work was planned for 28 days but we’ve turned it around in nine days,” Mr Moore said.
"It’s the timeframe. They don’t have the luxury of sitting in yards. The quick turnaround and the flexibility are preferred by our customers."
Mr Moore said the staff worked in two shifts to get the job done quickly.
Eric McIlwain, the technical superintendent of Fantasea’s parent company Riverside Marine, said he was happy with the workmanship and quality of the staff at Cairns Slipways.
"I’m very impressed. I’ve been 20 years in the business and this is one of the best yards in Queensland, if not the best. It is a very professional organisation," he said.
The slipways also worked on Arcadia last year as well as two other vessels.
There are other vessels based at Airlie Beach and elsewhere the company is considering sending to Cairns for work.
Cairns Slipways has also completed $1 million-plus jobs on a Noumea-based 60m long roll-on, roll-off ferry and a 40m barge based at Gladstone.
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Impressive: Fantasea's Eric McIlwain (left) was impressed with the work done by Cairns Slipways' project manager Vernon Carpenter and his workers. Picture: Chris Hyde.
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