Established in 2006, Marine Specialists has earned the reputation as the premier marine services company in Southern Ireland. Managing Director John McKeown detailed the extensive services they offer their clients when speaking to Building Ireland…
The County Wexford based Marine Specialists offers a wide range of commercial diving services including Underwater Engineering Inspections and reporting, Underwater Video and photography, Underwater Welding and Burning, Salvage and recovery, Marine Construction and Demolition, Scour protection, pipe installations and cable repairs and Archaeology Surveys.
As a consequence, they boast a diverse client base including Civil Engineering Contractors, Water and Sewerage providers, Consulting Engineers, Marine Archaeology providers, Windfarm operators and Port operators.
The company is the brainchild of Managing Director John McKeown who has over 20 years of experience in the Marine Sector to fall back on. John and Marine Specialists’ mission is to provide your business with a safe, professional and reliable service.
In the last 13 years, the ever-burgeoning company has grown its workforce from four employees to 16.
“We started off primarily as a commercial diving company before diversifying into the Civil Engineering sector,” John explained in conversation with Building Ireland. “Today we’re basically a one stop shop for marine services and we carry out work on behalf of many of the big contractors in Ireland and the UK as well as a number of Local Authorities and Irish Water.”
Marine Specialists’ valued client list includes the likes of BAM Civils, SIAC and L&M Keating, to name but a few.
“Recent projects we have been working on include dredging work in Dingle Harbor on behalf of L&M Keating as well as the redevelopment of the Victorian Swimming Baths in Dun Laoghaire with SIAC.
“We also supplied commercial divers and equipment to BAM for their Ringaskiddy Port project while we spent a year on the Thames in London, at St Catherine’s Dock, which involved the removal, total overhaul and instalment of a new marina.”
Marine Specialists Ltd are registered with the Health and safety executive (HSE) in the UK as diving contractors and are full members of the Association of Diving Contractors (ADC). They are also recognised by RENA for the purposes of in-water inspections and surveys.
They can offer a range of underwater services and equipment, operate both containerised and mobile diving systems and, crucially, are available 24 hours a day.
The Co Wexford operation can offer a large amount of underwater tooling such as breakers, drills, hydraulic pumps, welding plant, burning gear, underwater video, U.W. Steel thickness gauge and various inspection tools. In addition, they carry a large amount of lifting bags, pollution control equipment and salvage pumps for deployment at short notice.
All of their vessels are fitted with the Proflex GPS system. “We also operate road transportable marine plant,” John stressed.
Marine Specialists prides itself in providing well maintained, reliable equipment and experienced well trained staff. The full-time staff includes a diver engineer and maintenance technician operating from their office and operations base in Wexford.
“We’re very busy,” John answered when asked: how business is going at this point in time? “In fact, last year was one of our busiest years ever I’d say. The company’s turnover has steadily increased in the last three to four years.
“The marine business is generally recession proof but, in saying that, we are very lucky to have a wide range of customers who employ our services. For instance, we’re the preferred contractor in the south of Ireland for Stena Line Ferries.”
Why does the likes of Stena Line Ferries keep knocking on Marine Specialists’ door? “We have a very good safety record and a young committed workforce. All of our equipment is well-maintained to the highest standard at all times and, simply put, we get the job done. Our customers come to us because they know from experience that that’s the way we work. We always find ways of getting the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Marine Specialist Ltd offers rock solid support throughout any Marine Project.
All their staff have a huge level of experience across the marine sphere in areas such as salvage, underwater construction, dredging, pipe laying, inspection, demolition and many specialised marine projects. They aim to provide an innovative, versatile approach to any surface or underwater operations.
The marine environment is one of the toughest places on earth to successfully carry out any work. John fully understands this and can provide the staff, equipment and the experience to ensure your project is successful.
Call Marine Specialists now on 051 562 061 and John and his expert staff will be only too delighted to discuss your requirements in greater detail.
Marine Specialists Ltd.
Loughnageer
Foulksmills
Co Wexford
Ireland
Tel: + 353 (0) 51 562 061
Fax: + 353 (0) 51 564 986
Taken from Building Ireland Magazine, May, Vol 5 No 4
