Plymouth Fisheries has invested £750,000 into refueling facilities to enable the region’s fishing fleet to spend less time in port.
New fuel tanks and dispensers are being installed at the Sutton Harbour site to help speed up turnaround times for trawlers.
Sutton Harbour Group, which owns and operates Plymouth Fisheries, the second largest fish market complex in England, is making the major investment but it is part-funded by a £375,000 grant from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) administered by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
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Preparatory work has begun on site to replace the fisheries’ main fuel tank and install new fuel dispensaries, which will help speed up fuel, water and electricity delivery systems for fishing vessels using the complex.
Modern new equipment will make it faster for fishermen to refuel their vessels, as well as offering superior logging and tracking systems, and the facilities will be more environmentally friendly.
The improvements follow a series of investments by Sutton Harbour Group during the past five years in the fisheries complex, based on the eastern side of Sutton Harbour.
In 2015, Plymouth Fisheries unveiled a new ice production facility following a £1.2million investment in the chill chain, part-funded by a £300,000 grant from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF), also administered by the MMO.
This enabled production of ice on site 24 hours a day so trawlers could load it directly into their vessels.
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Nick Eggar, manager of Plymouth Fisheries, said: “The new, upgraded fuel tanks and delivery systems will create an extra refuelling point for vessels, as well as new quayside power and water distribution points.
“Together these will allow much quicker turnaround times between boats landing a catch and being able to get back out to sea, and less waiting time for skippers and crews.
“It’s great news for Plymouth Fisheries and for the fishing fleet landing their catch here.”
Pete Bromley, harbour master of Sutton Harbour, said: “This work will markedly improve the efficiency of fuel and power delivery for the local fishing fleet and provide a necessary upgrade to the services available from the fishing complex.
“This large improvement will enable and facilitate the supplying of fuels to the fishing industry for many years to come.
“The investment constitutes the latest phase of an ongoing modernisation programme for Plymouth Fisheries, which has already seen a new ice plant created, new chillers installed, and a refurbished auction hall completed.
“It also demonstrates further the ongoing commitment of Plymouth Fisheries and Sutton Harbour Group to our local fishing industry, alongside a determination to ensure that Plymouth remains a major 海角视频 fishing port.”
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Sutton Harbour Group has appointed Lorne Stewart as the primary contractor and teams have begun work on site with OTS Group Limited, the tank manufacturer, to carry out an initial ground work survey before the new tank can be installed.
All site works will be fully coordinated with managers at Plymouth Fisheries to minimise disruption for fishermen, fish merchants and visitors using the complex. The six-month project aims to complete by November 2019.
An independent valuation of company property assets revealed that as of January 31, 2019,.
This is a jump of 7.14% from the £42.655million value put on the portfolio on March 31, 2018.
The new valuation was welcomed, especially after , when 2017’s pre-tax profit of £331,000 turned into a £136,000 loss at the end of an action-packed year which saw the AIM-listed company taken over by Canadian Phil Beinhaker and the departure of chief executive Jason Schofield.
However, despite a seasonally weaker summer in 2017, a bumper autumn resulted in another strong year for fish throughput at Plymouth Fisheries, with it valued at £21million, up from £19.7million.
Fuel sales were, however, down 7% by volume because more fish is transported by road from other ports for auction, and due to competition from other fuel sellers.
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To contact William Telford: william.telford@reachplc.com