The latest newbuild from Parkol Marine Engineering has sailed from the Whitby yard for Oban in western Scotland, where it will focus on scallping. Summer Rose was christened at the yard with a traditional naming ceremony led by a minister from the Mission to Seafarers.
Owner John MacAlister travelled down from Scotland with family and friends for a full day and night of celebrations, including a christening ceremony accompanied by a piper at the Parkol yard.
He explained that although it is not yet clear what the outcome of the ongoing negotiations about the UK’s exit from the European Union will mean for the nation’s fishermen, the new vessel is an example of how owners like him are trying to be pragmatic.
‘We’re working in an industry which is facing great uncertainty but we can’t stand still,’ he said.
‘With the Brexit negotiations about our fisheries now expected to continue until 2020, we have no clear strategy for the next four to five years, but we are trying to keep moving ahead, and investing, hence why we have commissioned this boat.’
Summer Rose shares its name with the first boat he bought 41 years ago, when he joined the fishing industry straight from leaving school.
Since then, he has expanded his fleet to ten boats, and now works onshore, as CEO of three sister fishing companies: John MacAlister (Oban) Ltd, Star Fishing Company and Q VARL Fishing company, all of which specialise in catching scallops around the coast of the UK, mainly for the European market.
John’s son Ian is following in his father’s footsteps and will be skippering Summer Rose, with Ian Fletcher as relief skipper.
Summer Rose is the third trawler John has commissioned from Parkol, with Hull marine electrical engineering experts Pearson Electrical taking care of the vessel’s wiring to the very latest specs for both efficiency and safety.
‘This boat is a new design by Ian Paton, of S C McAllister & Co Limited,’ John MacAlister said. ‘It’s built to the very top spec for both power and safety.’
Summer Rose also features the first full Mitsubishi engine package to be supplied in the UK by Dutch shipyard Padmos.
As a result of the optimistic approach of trawler owners like John, Parkol is experiencing one of its busiest times ever, with demand for its boats doubling in the past twelve months – so much so that they have opened a second yard in Middlesbrough.
Pearson Electrical will be helping Parkol wire and maintain this string of new vessels, which has had a similarly positive impact on its own business levels.
‘I’ve never seen anything quite like it in the whole of my career in the marine industry. The demand for new boats just keeps coming and coming, and is representing an increasing chunk of our overall work,’ said Pearson Electrical’s MD Mark Pearson.
‘While there is uncertainty over the specifics of what the Brexit agreement will mean, I think the prospect of regaining some control over UK waters – coupled with unusually healthy and well-priced fish stocks and the state of the pound against other currencies – is leading to a view among the fishermen that they may as well make the most of it while it lasts.’
‘Summer Rose is the third vessel that Parkol has built for John MacAlister, we have a long standing relationship which continues to go from strength to strength,’ said Sally Atkinson at Parkol.
‘The confidence in the fishing industry and the amount of new vessels on order is unprecedented. During the Brexit negotiations and the impending transition period it is vitally important that the Government provides a clear and coherent strategy inclusive of all stakeholders, that will protect and foster the fishing industry for future generations.’
