New haul-out system planned to speed vessel removals before storms

Plans are underway to overhaul emergency vessel haul-out facilities in coastal areas after delays during Hurricane Beryl left boats and operators vulnerable ahead of severe weather, Coastal Zone Management Unit director Dr Leo Brewster has revealed.

The redesign is part of wider climate-adaptation efforts intended to protect maritime assets, safeguard fishers’ livelihoods and strengthen coastal resilience. Future coastal construction must combine structural resilience with the ability to move vessels quickly, he said.

The proposed facility would include a specialised travelift, or tummy lift, operating from a dedicated finger pier alongside a wide slipway. The design is intended to allow large commercial vessels and smaller private craft to be removed from the water at the same time during emergency preparations.