A ceremony attended by dignitaries has marked the official ‘birth date’ for the two new ships which will serve the Penzance to Isles of Scilly route for the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group (ISSG).
This milestone in the build process has been recognised for centuries as the official ‘birth’ of any new ship and is an important point in time for the Scillonian IV passenger ferry and the cargo vessel, Menawethan.
Invited guests attended the keel laying ceremony at Piriou’s shipyard in Vietnam on Wednesday (Nov 6) to officially mark the moment, while dignitaries from Britain and France were present. British Ambassador to Vietnam, Iain Frew, attended the ceremony, along with British Consul General, Alexandra Smith and her French counterpart, Emmanuelle Pavillon-Grosser.
They were accompanied by senior management from both shipbuilder Piriou and ISSG. As part of the occasion, a coin was laid in the keel of the vessel, which is a shipbuilding tradition. The ceremony is designed as a kind of blessing, bringing good fortune to the ship and its crew.
Steamship Group chair Ian Howard said: “It was an honour to attend this special moment in the build of our two new vessels. I would like to extend my thanks to the entire team here at Piriou, who are providing the skills and technical expertise to build these new ships for the Isles of Scilly.
“I also want to express my gratitude to all our partners and stakeholders who have contributed to this project. Your support and enthusiasm have been essential in driving us forward.”
