Tamar II is now into the 3rd week of her refit following a safe passage to A&P Falmouth last month.

The wet weather during the first two weeks meant it was only possible to carry out a limited amount of work on the upper deck which affected the painting schedule. However, as the weather improved, the A&P dock yard staff worked overtime to complete a first coat of anti-fouling treatment on the hull, as well as applying two coats of paint on the passenger side of the vessel.

Work has also begun on other critical engineering elements of the ferry. This includes removing, overhauling and then refitting the Voith & Vulcan coupling. A specialist engineer from Sweden was required to lead the work on the Voith coupling which is a critical component of the vessel drive system. During this process some of the fluid system pipework, which has been in place since the ferry was built 20 years ago, was removed with the vessel now fitted with new pipework.

Work has also begun on the prow ramps which are one of the most important components on the ferries. The ramps, which are lifted and lowered to enable vehicles to embark & disembark, have been removed and are currently being inspected using NDT(Non-destructive testing) applications.

The refits also give Lloyds Register and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) the opportunity to carry out their five-yearly dry-docked inspections which ensure that the ferries are in a good condition, and that they are safe to operate. These inspections are mandatory and must be satisfactorily completed before certificates are issued by the regulatory authorities. A surveyor appointed by Lloyds has already visited the dock once and will be making further visits during the refit process.

The ferry is currently due to return to service towards the end of June. However, if weather conditions are good and there are no other issues, the ferry could return to service earlier than this date.

During the refit period the service is being provided by the two remaining ferries, one leaving each side of the river every 15 minutes (on the hour and 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour), between 06:30 and 22:00 and a single half hourly, night service ferry from 2200 to 06:30.

Regular updates on the service are being provided on the Tamar Crossing’s website and social media channels.