Spencer Group is to develop a new dock gate as part of a £1.9 million project to preserve a historic vessel.

The project to improve and repair Hull's North End Shipyard is part of a wider £32m cultural regeneration project led by Hull City Council to celebrate the city’s rich maritime heritage.

The North End Shipyard is set to become the new home for the country’s last remaining sidewinder trawler, the Arctic Corsair, which will form a new visitor attraction when in place.

The city council has appointed Hull Esteem Consortium LEP as principal contractor for the shipyard project, with Spencer Group designing and delivering the vital lock gate element for the dry dock.

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Spencer Group will remove the existing gate, before installing the new 15m by 6m, 50 tonne steel replacement from the River Hull following berthing of the vessel. The gate will then be sealed in place by forming a reinforced concrete wall, providing a permanent home for the Arctic Corsair.

The new dock gate is being produced in Grimsby before being installed at North End Ship Yard.

Hull-based Spencer Group has already completed work to create a new home for another iconic vessel, the Spurn Lightship, as part of the Hull Maritime project.

The company created a new wet berth for the lightship in Hull Marina earlier this year which is set to become another local maritime visitor attraction in the coming months.

Neil Hewitt, Pre-Construction Project Manager for Spencer Group, said: "This is a really important project for us.

"The Arctic Corsair is one of the flagship vessels of the city’s maritime history and we’re extremely proud to be playing our part in preserving it for future generations. Having previously been involved in constructing her berthing outside the Streetlife Museum over 20 years ago, the business is proud to play its part in settling her into her new home.

"It means a lot to everyone at Spencer Group to deliver projects like this, particularly in our home city of Hull."