Meercat Boats: three workboats at its Southampton yard

Meercat Boats, based in Hythe Marine Park, adjacent to the Port of Southampton, is currently host to three Meercat multirole vessels (MRVs): one ready for sale; another in for her refit and survey; and another, a Meercat landing craft, ready for charter.

Sarnia, the new Meercat MRV15 being built for Guernsey Harbours, is receiving her final touches, having successfully completed her sea trials. Following delivery to the Channel Islands, the Meercat team will attend a naming ceremony for this prestigious vessel.

The new Meercat MRV Sarnia has been customised to specifically match Guernsey Harbours’ requirements, being to deliver the best number of port and harbour servicing operations achievable in one vessel.

The 15m MRV Toploader is in at the yard for a refit and refurbishment in readiness for her pending sale to mainland Europe where she will undertake general workboat duties in addition to mooring, ship servicing, dive support and civil engineering operations.

The 22m landing craft, MRV22LC Toplander, which is owned and operated by Topbond plc, is currently berthed at Meercat, ready to depart on her next charter where she will primarily operate in aquaculture support and port maintenance.

From its purpose-built facility, Meercat Boats has a range of offerings to support any operator including new-build design and construction, servicing and repair of workboats and commercial craft, as well as large-scale refit and refurbishments of steel, aluminium and composite commercial and leisure craft.

John Buck, Meercat Boats’ Business Manager, comments: “Meercat Boats’ facilities and team are ideally positioned to fully support the workboat market throughout the life of a vessel. Meercat’s longstanding team-members have an impressive ten-year pedigree having built many vessels, all of which are in active commercial service across the globe. Our builds and standard of craftmanship are regarded as best-of-breed, hence why we are the first choice of so many vessel operators including the likes of BAE Systems and, of course, Guernsey Harbours.”