The Malin Abram team successfully delivered a number of transportation scopes this month. First off was the transportation of two Mission Bay Side Doors (MBSD) between BAE’s Scotstoun and Govan shipyards in Glasgow. The transportation package involved the design and installation of the cargo sea fastening, and the planning and execution of the marine transportation between the two sites – plus it was an opportunity to work with local tug and barge owners Coastworks.

Following this, the team again collaborated with BAE and Coastworks, this time along with Fergusons Marine to transport three structural units for the Royal Navy’s HMS Birmingham (Ship 4), again as part of the UK’s Type 26 programme. Speaking on the latter scope, James Bowie, Managing Director of Malin Abram noted, “this project has provided an opportunity not only to further strengthen our relationships with BAE Systems, Ferguson Marine, and Coastworks, but also to showcase the expertise of our heavy lift team and, more broadly, the capabilities that exist across the Clyde.

“From undertaking site surveys and supplying the required craneage, tugs and barges, to developing the seafastening design and overseeing the operation, our team has drawn upon many years of experience to ensure the project was delivered safely, on time and to specification.”

Both the MBSDs and structural units form part of the Type 26, the Royal Navy’s most advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) warship of her time. The Type 26 programme is currently being delivered by BAE Systems, to which Malin Abram provides support across a number of engineering scopes.

Our colleagues at John Tracey Specialist Welding have also had a busy and productive month. Working alongside Malin Equipment, progress continues at pace on the keel blocks project for KBS Maritime, with key milestones being successfully achieved.

The team also recently completed a welding project for APH Hydraulic Engineering Ltd, involving the welding of two dissimilar structural steels. The scope required the successful joining of a high-yield structural steel eye housing to a low-carbon, high-strength structural steel end cap, a specialist application demanding careful material consideration, welding procedure development, and expert execution to ensure performance and reliability.

You can read more about the project and  our specialist welding capabilities here. 

Lastly, the team are getting ready for the next cohort of students for our Welding for Non-Welders course. This intensive three-day programme provides an excellent introduction for those working within the sector, covering key welding processes, technical documentation, engineering drawings, and practical hands-on experience in our workshop.

Feedback from all of the participants has been overwhelmingly positive, to date, highlighting the value of combining technical knowledge with practical application. The next intake will take place in October. If you would like to find out more or register, please get in touch. 

We have also had the privilege of participating in a number of industry events over the past month.

Daryl Porter and Gillian Slater attended TransCityRail Midlands event in Birmingham, offering both the opportunity to hear from senior rail leaders, project owners and industry experts discussing key developments across the Midland’s rail network.

Meanwhile, our Managing Director, John MacSween, and Elaine Troup, Project Lead, were pleased to welcome colleagues from the Glasgow City Region to the site of the proposed Scottish Marine Technology Park (SMTP). With the site already a recipient of support through the Glasgow City Region Investment Zone (GCRIZ), the visit provided a valuable opportunity to discuss our remediation plans following a further award of £4.2 million from the The Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) in April. This funding represents a significant milestone for the project, enabling us to begin addressing a longstanding barrier to development and paving the way for future investment and growth, in line with our GCRIZ support.

It was also a chance to showcase the sheer size and scale of the site and the ambition behind the project. While plans and drawings can tell part of the story, seeing the site in person really brings home the transformative potential of the SMTP and the impact it could have on the local area, supporting innovation, jobs, skills development and economic growth for generations to come.

We’re grateful for the continued support of our partners as we take the next steps towards realising the vision for the Scottish Marine Technology Park.

If you would like to find out more about our vision, and opportunities to become a part of it – you can find out more and speak to our team here.

Lastly, we were also very lucky to host an event with a difference…anyone that knows the history of the South Rotunda may know of its role as a pop up ice cream shop for Nardini’s during Glasgow’s Garden Festival…so it was rather fitting to host a pop up book launch for Lex Lamb as he launched his new book, The Glasgow Garden Festival: A Book.

It was lovely to hear so many fond memories of the Rotunda and showcase her restoration.

And finally, work has started on our next edition of the Heavy Lift Engineer magazine, due to land end of August – but in the meantime, No. 10, of the Heavy Lift Engineer magazine is still available to download. In it we look at a range of exciting topics, from the benefits of early engagement in planning transportation scopes, with a case study with RSE, to strand jacks, crane expertise and ship stability.

We can’t wait to hear your feedback!

And if you have not yet subscribed, free of charge, please do so now and you will get all new editions emailed to you direct!