This year, we have faced some enormous challenges due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, with wellbeing being paramount to how we manage our operations.
The good news is we have taken a flexible approach to our ways of working and still been able to deliver what our customers need, when they need it, even surpassing their expectations.
And this has been the case with a full electrical installation we undertook on a Parkol Marine Engineering project – the build of their latest trawler, Reliance III, which was recently launched from the harbourside at the leading boatbuilder’s Whitby base.
Shared values
We have a long history of working with this highly reputable company and share common values of providing excellence in design, workmanship and customer service.
Mark Pearson, Managing Director of Pearson Electrical, said: “Throughout the pandemic we’ve worked hard with our clients to find proactive solutions to keeping their build and installation projects moving, while maintaining the safety of everyone involved and adhering to government guidelines.
“In this case with Parkol, we introduced a 3pm to midnight shift system to ensure our crews working on electrical installations at the Whitby yard could continue to operate while keeping a safe distance.
“This flexible solution meant the project was still delivered on time to the same high standards we always produce. The pandemic may have caused us to change some of our ways of working but it hasn’t slowed us down.”
Out to sea
Following the official launch ceremony, skipper John Clark, of Aberdeenshire, was set to test Reliance III in sea trials before putting her to work off the coast of Scotland, netting prawn and whitefish.
The twin-rig trawler Reliance III replaces the 11-year-old Reliance II, also built by Parkol, and skipper John was delighted with the results. He said: “I asked the architect Ian Paton to do the impossible – design a boat that has better seakeeping capabilities than Reliance II, that has to be kept below 16.49m registered length, yet act on water like a much bigger vessel, and deliver a safe working platform for the crew when at sea.
“Reliance III is a completely unique design, it’s taken just over a year to build. It’s been a challenging time with the coronavirus, but the yard has worked through it and built a fabulous boat, it’s a credit to the whole workforce.”
Focus on safety
John added: “It’s been built more or less for crew safety and crew welfare, it’s a lot better fitted out inside than the old one was. The crew accommodation is a lot grander, and they’ve built into the boat safety handrails that the crew can clip themselves onto. All over the top deck and bottom deck we’ve got conveyer systems, to look after the fish and clear the catch.”
Parkol Project Manager and Director Sally Atkinson said: “We pulled out all the stops to ensure we would deliver Reliance III on time. It was a pleasure as always to work with Pearson Electrical, who never fail to impress with their quality and attitude, and lovely to hear such positive feedback from John. We wish him and Reliance III the best of success for the future.”
The statistics
The fully shelterdecked Reliance III has a registered length of 16.49m and 7.7m of beam.
The centreline machinery consists of a Mitsubishi S6R2 main engine (480kW @ 1350rpm), a Reintjes 7.476:1 reduction gearbox and a four-bladed 2,500mm-diameter propeller. Mitsubishi 6D24TC and 6D16 auxiliary engines will run the vessel’s main hydraulic and electric systems.
The twin-rigged trawler will be used for catching groundfish, monkfish, megrim, lemon sole, ling, prawns, haddock, cod, and whiting. It will fish in different areas all over Scotland, right up to the west coast, out to Rockall, the west of Shetland, east of Shetland, out of Mallaig, Ullapool, Scrabster, Fraserburgh, and Peterhead, then back to John’s home town of Macduff and Banff.
If you would like our help with an industrial electrical project or problem, don’t hesitate to contact us via support@pearson-electrical.com or 01482 225080.
