As part of the project Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is rebuilding Middle Slip Jetty so it can accommodate HMS Queen Elizabeth when she arrives in Portsmouth in early 2017.
The 276 metre jetty was built in the 1920s and last upgraded in the 1970s. Earlier this year DIO appointed VolkerStevin (CORR) as the principal contractor to upgrade the structure as part of a package of work to prepare for the ships.
The total spend on infrastructure to support the carriers is £100 million, with VolkerStevin also providing a high voltage electrical supply, upgrade to the existing drinking water system and navigational aids.
Portsmouth Naval Base has been an integral part of the city since 1194. It is home to almost two-thirds of the Royal Navy's surface ships, including the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, new formidable Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates and mine countermeasures and fishery protection squadrons.
It will be home to two new aircraft carriers – HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince Of Wales – which are currently being built. At 65,000 tonnes they will be the biggest ships ever built for the Royal Navy.
The base is a major employer and provides lodging facilities to RN personnel serving at the base and in Portsmouth-based ships.
