Professional Skipper Magazine from VIP Publications

BABCOCK BUYS OUT FITZROY BABCOCK INTERNATIONAL GROUP PLC has completed buying out its 30 percent joint venture partner in New Zealand, Fitzroy Yachts Limited and formed Babcock (NZ) Limited. The move, announced on December 7, follows agreement with the New Zealand government and the Defence Force. The company provides ship maintenance, repairs and overhaul services to the Royal New Zealand Navy. The company's Dockyard Management Contract runs to 2014 with an option to extend for a further five years. Babcock (NZ) Ltd will continue to be led by Mike Heritage vessel saw wartime service by Carol Forsyth NINETY-NINE YEARS ago, Auckland shipbuilders built a small, kauri-planked launch named the Nautilus for a Christchurch engineer. Today she is a new member of the on-water fleet at the Voyager New Zealand Maritime Museum on the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland. Her stay in Christchurch was cut short with the start of the First World War and her war effort began as deck cargo on the New Zealand hospital ship Marama. The Nautilus was one of two tender vessels used to ferry wounded soldiers out to the hospital wards on board. When NZHS Marama arrived at Alexandria, Egypt in January 1916, her patients were some of the sick and wounded soldiers from Gallipoli and Salonika. When the Marama returned to New Zealand in 1919 the Nautilus was lifted off her deck and placed back into the water at Lyttelton. She was soon on the estuary taking crowds from her berth at the New Brighton jetty and often crossed the bar to Sumner. During the Great Depression the Nautilus was used as a Lyttelton passenger ferry. She was also based at Picton and Pigeon Bay for a while. In 1994 she was given a total refit and used as a private launch in Lyttelton. On November 9 the Nautilus was officially accepted as a gift to the museum from her owner, Allan Williams. She is an important piece of nautical and New Zealand Army history and will be included in the on-water fleet at the museum. Classic wooden boats on show THE CLASSIC YACHT Association of New Zealand is to hold the inaugural New Zealand Classic Wooden Boat Festival in Auckland in 2013. The new event will celebrate New Zealand's maritime heritage with the focus being on the fun and enjoyment of classic wooden boating. Over 60 classic vessels were expected to be open for viewing, including yachts, launches and workboats, says the chairman of the CYA, Steve Cranch. The New Zealand association has over 200 vessels on its register and has one of the world's most significant collections of original and restored locally designed and built vessels still in regular use. The CYA promotes their restoration and preservation, as well as coordinating races and events on and off the water. A steering group is currently reviewing waterfront venues and dates. Wardlaw as managing director. He will report to the chief executive of Babcock Pty Limited, Craig Lockhart, who is based in Adelaide, South Australia. Babcock operates New Zealand's largest marine engineering and maintenance support facility at its site in Devonport on Auckland's North Shore. The site also has New Zealand's largest dry-dock and can undertake a range of ship maintenance alongside its Navy work. Babcock also owns a separate engineering consultancy, Marine Industrial Design, which provides services for new designs, major modifications and conversions. "Babcock has been selected to be a major industry partner in helping us to deliver more efficient support to our front- line operations, especially our Navy," said the Vice-Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force, Rear Admiral Jack Steer. The new formation of Babcock followed the recent strengthening of its Pacific region, said Lockhart. "It is further evidence of our expansion plans here." VIP.S85 January/February 2012 Professional Skipper 43

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