A HAMPSHIRE shipbuilder is moving its operation from Portchester to Hythe.

Meercat Workboats is transferring from Trafalgar Wharf to Hythe Marine Park In September.

The new 1,600 sqm site has two 20-tonne gantry cranes, an electrical workshop, a hydraulic workshop, aluminium welding bays, dedicated stores, offices and customer parking.

Jamie Lewis, who is Meercat Workboats managing director, said: “This move really is significant for us.

“We’ve been searching for a new home for 18 months and it’s really great news that we’ve found a fantastic landlord in Oceanic Estates and superb new premises.”

The announcement of the move comes in the wake of a successful three days at Seawork 2016, Europe’s largest commercial marine and workboat exhibition held at Southampton’s Mayflower Park last month.

At the event Meercat exhibited the MC26, the current 15m x 6m stock boat and received three possible orders.

Jamie added: “With several interested parties we really expect to conclude the transaction by the month end.

“This really will be a very good win for us as the boat genuinely is fantastic.”

Meercat, which employs 20, is taking a positive view of the Brexit vote which it believes will help reignite its export business.

The company has built 28 boats to date, exporting two to Norway, two to the Republic of Ireland, one to Sweden, two to Saudi Arabia, one to Tasmania, one to Peru, and one to Australia.

With exports to date totalling a third of the builds the business is best placed to maximise the potential of a lower value sterling.

Nicholas Warren, the CEO of Burgess Marine, Meercat’s parent said: “The referendum has given us a wonderful opportunity to re-energise our export business.

“Domestically the business is performing ahead of expectations but to open up International markets again, to coincide with the firm’s relocation to better premises, is seriously opportunistic.

“We’re genuinely excited about some very real export opportunities – this is great news for British workboat building.”

Burgess will remain at Trafalgar Wharf but will use the Hythe site on an ad hoc basis.