The factory will reach 1 Million workers
100 tons of steal per boat cut

Hijos de J. Barreras needs 300 new workers for the construction of the two ships for Norway, which will place the number of professional workers at the shipyard close to 1Million. “the idea is to do both units here, at least 99% we are going to recruit some people”, explains José García Costas, the factory’s president. The rush of Havila Kystruten order- these two vessels should be working in 2021, is the reason why they thought about outsourcing for one of them- apart from the lack of labour force within the sector is an extra difficulty. “We bring foreign people and we get it from whenever we can, adds the President. In any case, the staff has already started the construction of both units by cutting the first 100 tons of steal for each of them.

It was at the beginning of the year when the main García Costas advised about the problem on the naval sector: at the keel laying of the Ultra premium Cruise for the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain (the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection) explained to a group of journalist that they would look into “foreign” staff when the lack of qualified labour force became a big problem”. And he did. A few weeks later the Portuguese company Irontec was working already at the shipyard with more than a hundred workers, mainly, assembling blocks. From then, training plans and programmes were announced both at the shipyards and at auxiliary companies.

The situation for Barreras was already difficult with one boat -unique on its kind, that’s right -now with four on the portfolio is worst. “We have been doing courses and training people in order to manage somehow the lack of labour force, but it was not enough to solve the whole problem” explained García Costas. The shipyard responsible points out that nowadays there are 600 workers on the shipyard and “the number increases” due to the number of orders, the highest form 2009.

Havila Kystruten ordered Barreras the construction of the two ships from four they need by 2021 (the other two will be built in Turkey). Havila Polaris and Havila Pollux will be the names, each of them has got 125m Length, 20m Beam and capacity for 700 passengers. Due to the Norwegian government requirements on the fiords sailing to respect the environment, the units will have a LP Gas (Liquified Petroleum Gas) system and they will become the ships with more batteries on board (nowadays).

“Although they are not exclusive as the Ritz (they are a bit more basic), it is clear they are special boats”, asserts Barrera’s president, who also clarifiedthat finally the ships will not have rolling loads, so they become cruisers. “It is true that at the beginning it was said they will be mixed boats and they could carry cars, but the rolling loads were removed”, explained García Costas.

Havila’s order, valued in more than €200 million coincides on time with the ferry ordered by Naviera Armas that came into force a few daysago. It is also propelled by LP Gas (they will be the first ones at Vigo’s Bay with this system), in this case we are talking about a boat of 190m Length, more than 10,400 tons and a capacity of 1,800 passengers. It is still not clear if the hull will finally be built in Vigo. “It is not decided yet, but as an inhabitant of Vigo, if it is possible to get some working hours here, we will do it” confirmed García Costas.

(Source: Faro de Vigo)