New Vessels Update | January

Menawethan sea trials

On January 28^th Menawethan successfully entered the sea trials phase – a critical phase in her construction.

During sea trials, the vessel’s performance, manoeuvrability, propulsion and onboard systems are rigorously tested at sea to ensure they meet design specifications and international standards.

Gry Maritha Master Tom Sexton and Technical Superintendent Luke Parnell travelled to Vietnam for the sea trials, in collaboration with Piriou shipyard and the classification society, Lloyds Register.

Menawethan sailed from the shipyard down the Nha Be river to Vung Tau. The sea trials are being conducted off the coast of Vung Tau in the South China Sea, within 20 miles of the shore.

Following the successful completion of sea trials, Menawethan will undergo final fit-out and certification before making her delivery voyage to the UK ahead of entry into service.

Stuart Reid, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, said: “The commencement of sea trials represents an important step towards bringing Menawethan into service later this year. The vessel has been designed specifically to meet the needs of the islands, and we are pleased to see her performing well at this crucial stage.”

Emma and James in Vietnam

Earlier this month, Island Carriers Manager Emma Squire and husband James travelled to Vietnam and took the opportunity, while visiting the region, to spend time at the Piriou shipyard to see Scillonian IV and Menawethan as the vessels enter the final stages of their build.

Island Carriers and the island freight team play a central role in keeping the islands moving, handling everything from small parcels and chilled goods to heavy lifts, plant, and specialist freight. Working at the point where cargo arrives and departs, Emma’s team coordinates onward transport across the islands, and prepares outbound freight for Penzance, supported by a diverse fleet, lifting equipment, and storage and waste services that go far beyond traditional haulage.

Guided by our project managers, Chris Lingham and Peter Broad, Emma and James were shown around both Scillonian IV and Menawethan, which included seeing the cargo handling systems, machinery spaces, crew and passenger accommodation and wheelhouses, along with a brief visit to the site office and an overview of the work underway. The visit provided an opportunity to discuss how day-to-day island logistics will operate once Menawethan enters service, helping ensure a smooth transition from build phase to live operations.

It’s so important to us that key members of our team are part of this moment, bringing the needs of the islands into the heart of how Menawethan will operate in the years ahead.

Menawethan launch

On 31 October Menawethan was successfully launched, a key stage in the construction process. The launch involved flooding the dock to float her off the keel blocks and carefully manoeuvring the vessel through the dock entrance into the Nha Be River, towing her to the outfitting berth. It was a controlled process which took around eight hours and was carried out overnight to coincide with high tide and low river traffic.

Menawethan’s commissioning phase included extensive testing of all major systems, from generator sets, side door, and pallet hoist to main engines, propulsion, hydraulics, and electrical systems, all in accordance with the shipbuilding specification and Lloyd’s Register classification rules. The full commissioning and function testing programme took approximately three months, ahead of sea trials.