Southampton Marine Services (SMS) is part of a group of Marine companies controlled by Peter Morton and Sir Charles Dunstone, owner of the classic motor yacht Shemara, has acquired Burgess Marine.
Burgess Marine, the UK-based independent refit yard and engineering services provider, were on a roll when they purchased procurement specialist Global Services a year ago. Now they have been acquired themselves.
Southampton Marine Services has acquired all the assets and works in progress at Burgess Marine who have entered into administration.
Explaining that, a spokesman for Burgess Marine said it was “Due to the challenges surrounding the delivery of a major refit project completed in Porchester earlier this year and the payment of the final account.”
The ship repair operations belonging to Burgess Marine in Lowestoft, Poole and Avonmouth will continue as usual with all the current teams employed immediately and will operate under the brand SMS.
Negotiations are currently taking place within the two Royal Navy bases at Portsmouth and Devonport for SMS to continue working within these high security areas and it is hoped that many of the staff previously employed on the military sites will be re-hired should SMS be able to provide the required security levels.
Unfortunately, the facilities at Portchester and Dover will not be saved as operating costs at these sites do not make them viable and they have consistently lost money for years. 102 jobs have been lost as a result.
Southampton Marine Services has also purchased the entire shareholding in Global Services and Global Newbuilds a successful supply chain company operating in the Superyacht and commercial vessel market.
The current Managing Director Richard Gardiner and his team will continue to run those businesses with Peter Morton and Chris Norman of Southampton Marine Services joining the Board.
Chris Norman Managing Director of Southampton Marine Services says, “It is always sad to see so many people lose their jobs at any time let alone just before Christmas and we are pleased to have been able to save as many as possible.
“On-going negotiations may mean that over the coming weeks we can get permission to operate within the Royal Navy Bases which may mean we can employ even more ex Burgess employees.”
“Southampton Marine Services will now be able to assist ship owners from Lowestoft to Avonmouth to maintain and repair their vessels and with the combined workforce of Southampton Marine Services and our sister companies Wight Shipyard and AMC have close to four hundred skilled shipwrights ready to undertake all the trades required to keep a modern fleet operational. “