April 2, 1997
(Industry, Trade and Technology)

Marystown Shipyard Ltd. lands another contract

Charles J. Furey, Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology, announced today that Marystown Shipyard Limited has won a contract with HAM Marine Inc. of Pascagoula, Mississippi. The contract is for the fabrication of lower hull pontoons and vertical stability columns for the Noble drilling rig, Paul Romano, which is operating in the Gulf of Mexico.

The contract, worth $8.25 million (Canadian), involves the fabrication of 2,300 tonnes of steel and will require 140,000 person hours of work beginning June 1, and ending in late September of this year. The number of workers will peak at 260.

Minister Furey said that he is excited about the amount of work that has been generated for the yard. He said: "This is one of three contracts similar in scope that we are chasing and we are optimistic for success in securing the other two over the coming months. This work will maintain the need for workers that would have been laid off when the AMFELS contract extension winds down at the end of May."

He added that this contract, combined with the extension to the $4.1 million AMFELS contract and the $43 million refit for the federal vessel "Quest", means that there are tangible signs of the turnaround taking place at Marystown Shipyard. He said: "The turnaround taking place at the yard is a tribute to the hard work by the employees and the aggressive marketing efforts by the management team led by the general manager Malcolm Weatherston, who is presently in the United States pursuing additional work."

Contact: John Doody, Director of Communications, (709) 729-0050.