A new dawn for Ramsey Shipyard - Ramsey, Isle of Man
Posted by: 
Mike_bjm
N 54° 19.446 W 004° 23.022
30U E 410007 N 6020464
The Ramsey Shipyard can be found on the northern bank of the inner harbour, up river from the swingbridge.
Waymark Code: WMYX5B
Location: Isle of Man
Date Posted: 08/05/2018
Views: 1
The Ramsey Shipyard can be found on the northern bank of the inner harbour, up river from the swingbridge.
The current shipyard is owned by the Isle of Man Government, having been built following the closure of the ‘Salt Works’ in the late 1950’s. When the Salt Works closed the land was acquired by the Isle of Man Harbour Board and the site cleared; including the felling of two tall chimneys. The new Shipyard was opened on 17 April 1963 by the then Lieutenant Governor Sir Ronald Garvey.
The Salt Works had by the time of its closure become something of an eye-sore and was regarded as something of an anachronism in a holiday resort which the town of Ramsey had become.
The concentrated salt water processed at the works was pumped down to Ramsey from the Point of Ayre. The concentrated salt water had been discovered when prospecting activities were being carried out looking for coal.
The Salt Works produced both table-salt and salt to be used as a preservative for the thriving herring industry and productions of ‘Manx Kippers’.
The original shipyard was opened by John Taggart who bought the land in 1831 and was operated until the around the end of the century.
“It was the shipbuilding yard that really converted the town [Ramsey] into a busy and thriving centre.” By the early 1850’s it was employing hundreds of men in the town.
In 1863 the shipyard built ‘Euterpe’, now known as ‘Star of India’ a full-rigged iron windjammer ship. This ship is now a seaworthy museum ship home-ported at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, in California. She is the oldest ship still sailing regularly and also the oldest iron-hulled merchant ship still floating.
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In 2018, Ramsey Shipping Services Limited (“RSSL”) took over the lease and “aims to make the shipyard the go-to destination for the fishing fleets of the Irish Sea.” RSSL, “can boast many years of experience in its expert staff and while the maritime and fishing industry is the focus, it has the skills to provide other engineering services.”
The previous tenant had vacated the shipyard site in 2016 following legal action and owing a substantial sum in rent to the Isle of Man Government.
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