NEWRY-based specialist construction firm MJM Group has landed a multi-million pound deal to refit a US cruise liner, with all work to be done at Harland & Wolff in Belfast in what it claims will be a "potential game-changer" for the industry.
The contract with Royal Caribbean Cruises to refit the 11-deck liner Azamara Pursuit this spring has been described as a milestone opportunity not just for MJM but for the marine industry in the UK, putting it in a strong position to compete for future dry-dock and refit works.
And it comes on the day Harland & Wolff was named as part of a consortium with Babcock International, Thales and BMT which are bidding for construction of five new frigates for the UK government, each worth £250m.
Around £2 billion a year is spent on cruise ship refits (there are currently 335 ocean-going ships which dry-dock on average every two and a half years), with the majority of the works carried out in shipyards in the Caribbean, Europe, USA, Canada and Asia.
But MJM has broken that stranglehold, and work on the Azamara Pursuit in April marks one of the first major refits of a cruise liner in a UK dry dock in several decades.
“We've always had the ambition to revive the rich ship-building history here, and we worked hard to put together a case for Northern Ireland,” MJM chief executive Gary Annett said.
“The success of this project has the potential to be a game-changer for the UK maritime industry and puts Northern Ireland in a strong position.”
He said it was important for the family-run MJM Group to bring the historic refit project to Belfast
“This contract gave us the opportunity we had been waiting for, which is to bring a major refit to a UK port for the first time in many years.
"MJM Group has an exceptional track record of delivering world class cruise liner refits for the world’s top operators in docks across the world but we have always had the ambition to revive the rich shipbuilding industry history right here in Northern Ireland.
"To secure the Azamara project we had to demonstrate that we had the ability to provide complete project management, outfitting, berthing and ship yard services.
"With Harland & Wolff on our doorstep and our experience in the industry, we were able to do this. This truly is an historic day for this industry.”
Larry Pimentel, president and chief executive of Azamara Club Cruises, said it will be the first time any company within Royal Caribbean Cruises has used a UK shipyard for works of this scale.
"We are delighted to come to Northern Ireland with Azamara Pursuit. It will be a truly magnificent sight to see our ship beneath the historic Harland & Wolff cranes which are so synonymous with Belfast's proud maritime history."
MJM Group already lists most of the world’s top cruise companies among its customers, including Royal Caribbean Cruise, where it has a relationship dating back 10 years when it completed works on the Majesty of the Seas.
Last year MJM Group secured its first ever dry-dock works in China. In a seven-figure deal with Star Cruises, the company will carry out a series of works this month in 15 separate areas across five decks of the Star Pisces which will include the transformation of casinos, restaurants and retail areas.
Established in 1983 by Co Down entrepreneur Brian McConville (he remains chairman of the company), MJM Group is a world leader in refurbishment, refit and interior fit out services, offering comprehensive bespoke and turnkey solutions to the marine, commercial and private sectors.
The company, which also owns Mivan in Antrim, has a workforce of 240 staff and access to a global pool of 2,000 skilled trades people for large projects.
Jonathan Guest, director of business development and improvement at Harland & Wolff, said he is delighted that MJM is bringing the project to the Belfast shipyard.
"We have global brand recognition as a historic leader in the shipbuilding industry and know there is so much potential to revive this industry in Northern Ireland. We look forward to supporting MJM on this project and hopefully other refits in the future," he added.
Meanwhile it has been reported in the Financial Times that Harland & Wolff is teaming up with several other UK companies including weapons firm Thales, which employs more than 500 people in Belfast, to bid for construction of the five Type 31e naval vessels.
