Boats are being built back on Humber

Hull-based Dunston Ship Repairs, agreed the deal with Hull company Rix Shipping and will hire out J.R Rix & Son’s owned Hepworths yard in Paull, East Yorkshire.

The aluminium boats will be built under licence from Great Yarmouth firm Alicat Workboats and will be used to service the turbines as part of a UK plan to create energy from renewable sources.

The firm has shipping industry links dating from 1858. However, it has not made boats since 1994 after deciding to concentrate on shipping. The company is establishing Dunston Ship Builders today.

Richard Bourne, the joint owner and managing director of Dunston Ship Repairs, said: “I’m excited to be bringing the name of Dunston Ship Builders back to its rightful position on the Humber.

“Establishing the new company will secure jobs in the region, and as the offshore wind farms are developed, will generate a lot of investment and create employment. The new business dovetails well with our existing operation as we will have unrivalled facilities, not only to be able to build new ships, but to service, maintain and repair them as well. The renewables industry is proving to be a big opportunity for us.”

A team of eight staff from both Hepworths and Dunstons will work on the boats which are expected to take between six and nine months to complete.