THE workforce at North-East shipyard A&P Tyne has tripled as it celebrates a record-breaking start to the new year.

The Hebburn yard – which is working on two major MoD orders, including sections for the new aircraft carriers – has won a string of contracts, giving it the best start to the year in living memory.

It’s growing success has meant A&P Tyne’s permanent staff has grown from 210 to 242, including 18 apprentices.

An extra 390 agency and sub-contracted jobs have been created to handle the level of work at the yard, taking the number of people working there to 632.

The work includes building and assembling a subsea arch for an oil field off Scotland, the refit of the 9,640 tonne deepwater pipelay vessel Deep Constructor, the refit of P&O ferry the Pride of York and the refit of multi-role vessel Wellservicer, from the same fleet of vessels as Deep Constructor.

A&P Tyne managing director Stewart Boak said: “It has proved to be an amazing, record-breaking start to 2011.

It’s the best we’ve ever had.”