Shemara Refit awarded major refit program by MBNA Thames Clippers
Isle of Wight shipbuilder and vessel refit specialist Shemara Refit LLP has been awarded a major contract by London’s MBNA Thames Clippers to refit three of its fleet of river ferries.
The first of three vessels, Storm Clipper arrived at the East Cowes yard on 25 February and over the coming year the remaining two ferries will make the journey from the Thames to the River Medina.
Sean Collins, CEO of MBNA Thames Clippers said, “We currently operate six fast and frequent river bus routes, serving 20 piers over 25kms of London, spanning from Putney in the West to Woolwich in the East.
“Each year we carry just under four million passengers so it is vital that our fleet of 15 catamarans exceed all safety requirements while providing our customers with the most comfortable travel experience in London.”
“We are extremely pleased to entrust this work to Shemara Refit and in so doing participate in the yard’s vision to grow the shipbuilding skills which are available on the Isle of Wight,” Mr Collins said.
“MBNA Thames Clippers is a major operator of high speed ferri
es and this is a market we plan to be a major player in,” said Shemara Refit LLP CEO Peter Morton.
“With these refits we hope to build a strategic partnership with MBNA Thames Clippers that involves both refits and new builds over the coming years,” he explained.
“With the 41 metre Red Jet 6 due to be delivered to Red Funnel in July we will be able to show what is possible for new builds in UK Shipbuilding,” Morton said.
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About MBNA Thames Clippers:
MBNA Thames Clippers is the leading River Bus service on the River Thames running a 20 minute frequency between key London piers including North Greenwich for The O2, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Tower, London Bridge, Embankment and London Eye for Waterloo, as well as several residential piers.
In April 2013 the company won the contract to run a River Bus service from Putney to Blackfriars which allows the boats to now additionally stop at Putney, Wandsworth Riverside, Chelsea Harbour and Cadogan Pier, a total of 20 piers across the capital.
Co-founded in 1999 by Sean Collins (CEO) and Alan Woods (former Chairman), the company began with one boat servicing 80 passengers a day between Greenland and Savoy piers. Now 17 years on numbers have significantly risen to over 3.8 million passengers in 2015.
In 2006 AEG, owners and operators of The O2, acquired the majority stake in the company and since then the fleet has substantially grown to 15 vessels. River Bus Express for The O2 is an additional fast direct service between London Eye, and London Bridge to The O2 at North Greenwich on arena event nights.
For more information on MBNA Thames Clippers please visit the website www.thamesclippers.com or follow @ThamesClippers
