Naming ceremony for new fishing vessels held at Macduff

A special naming ceremony took place on the quays of Macduff Harbour celebrating the building of two new fishing trawlers – Endeavour V and Venture IV.

Owned and operated by Whitehills-based brothers Peter and Mark Lovie and partners, these trawlers have the distinction of being the largest produced by Macduff Shipyards to date.

The memorable day was organised by the Lovie family and included a large group of guests including many of the businesses involved in both the building and operation of the vessels.

The trawlers were named in tandem with Endeavour V being named by Peter’s wife Natalie, and Venture IV named by Mark’s wife Katie, with the customary champagne bottles smashed on the respective hulls.

Endeavour V was handed over in late 2020 but due to the social restrictions at the time a formal naming ceremony could not take place.

Venture IV is currently undergoing final outfitting and commissioning and is schedule for delivery in October.

Both vessels were designed by the shipyards with close collaboration from local naval architecture and marine consultants, Macduff Ship Design.

Due to their large physical size, the hulls of both were subcontracted to Finomar Shipyard based in Szczecin, Poland.

Full outfitting and engineering works was carried out by the shipyards, with help from its many partners in Macduff.

The shipyards said it was grateful to the Lovie family for organising the special day which marked a significant milestone in the company’s history.

Managing director John Watt said: “This was a very special day for the shipyards. The company has enjoyed a close working relationship with the Lovie family tracing back generations to the firm's very beginning.

"The family has continually helped the firm to prosper, pushing our abilities to new heights and helping us grow.

"We thank Mark and Peter for organising the special day and for their continued trust and support."

The shipyards said it was also grateful to Aberdeenshire Council's harbour team for facilitating the event.

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