Finning Engines Selected for New Fisheries Protection Vessels

Finning UK & Ireland (Finning) has been selected to supply Cat® propulsion engines to two new fishery patrol vessels, as part of a contract awarded to Mainstay Marine Solutions by the Welsh Government.

Following a competitive international bidding process, Mainstay Marine Solutions’ new 26m Monohull Patrol Vessel (MPV) for South Fisheries and 19m Catamaran Patrol Vessel (CPV) for North Fisheries will replace ageing vessels that are currently in operation.

The Pembroke Dock boat builder has selected a pair of C32 propulsion engines from Finning for the MPV, and a pair of C18 engines for the CPV.

Tasked with monitoring and preventing illegal fishing activity in Welsh waters, the vessels have the authority to stop fishing boats and ensure procedures to safeguard fishing stocks are being followed.

Kevin Lewis, Operations Director at Mainstay Marine Solutions, explains: “The MPV and CPV will be performing a vital service for fisheries protection and, as such, we needed a high-performance and reliable propulsion solution that could meet these demands.

“Fundamentally, we required an engine solution for these vessels that is built to last. The Cat engines from Finning met all our requirements in terms of speed, weight and performance, and – having installed both the C32 and C18 in previous vessels – we knew we could rely on these engines with complete confidence.”

Gordon Dalrymple, Marine Sales Manager at Finning, adds: “As the sole supplier of Cat marine engines in the UK and Ireland, we can supply and commission propulsion engine systems for a wide range of vessels.

“This has been a great project to get involved with, as these vessels will play such a valuable role in safeguarding fishing stocks and helping to ensure the future of the fishing industry. We are also pleased to continue our successful working relationship with Mainstay Marine Solutions.”

The new vessels are expected to be in service by Autumn 2018.