News Release Archive
NEWS RELEASE (CNS969) -->> ECONOMIC RENEWAL--SHELBURNE MARINE GOING BACK TO WORK ECONOMIC RENEWAL--SHELBURNE MARINE GOING BACK TO WORK ----------------------------------------------------------------- Shelburne Marine will re-open as a working shipyard. The provincial government has reached an agreement with Steel & Engine Products Limited of Liverpool, to operate Shelburne Marine as a ship repair/fabrication facility. The announcement was made today in Shelburne by Human Resources Minister Allister Surette, chair of Team South West, and MLA Clifford Huskilson, representing Economic Renewal Minister Richie Mann. Steel & Engine Products Limited, an Irving company, will lease the shipyard from the government for five years. The lease is renewable and the company has the option to purchase the yard at any time. The government will invest $500,000 into the shipyard for capital improvements and environmental clean-up. The funding will ensure the yard meets safety standards and operating codes. Steel & Engine will be responsible for any additional improvements, as well as all operating costs. Mr. Surette said: "I know that the closure of the shipyard has been very hard on the people of Shelburne. I'm very pleased that an agreement has been reached that will see this excellent workforce back in business." He said that Team South West has worked hard to find solutions in Shelburne County, and that this is an encouraging result. "The Economic Renewal Agency has spent significant time and effort to reach this point," said Mr. Huskilson. "Staff fielded a lot of inquiries and negotiated with several prospective buyers. We are confident that this is the best possible deal, with Shelburne's long-term interests in mind." The first order of business will be to get the shipyard into shape, with work on capital improvements and the clean-up operations likely to begin within a few weeks, meaning immediate jobs for local workers. The shipyard should be ready for its first orders in the spring. Shelburne Marine complements Steel & Engine's multi-purpose operation in Liverpool. Shelburne has twice the haul-out capacity of Liverpool, allowing it to handle much larger ships. Demand for fabrication facilities is expected to increase over the next few years with the development of the Sable Offshore Energy Project. -30- Contact: Linda Laffin 902-424-6810 trp Dec. 19, 1996 - 11:40 a.m.