The largest vessel in the Royal Navy’s Hydrographic Squadron, HMS Scott, docked at Gibdock’s Gibraltar yard for a 19-day maintenance period.
It took place as part of the MOD UK’s Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Teams Through Life Support (TLS) contract and has brought Gibdock’s strategic location into sharp focus.
“Recent world events suggest that the Royal Navy will highly prize support from strategically-located facilities that can deliver vessels back into service on schedule and to high quality standards,” said Richard Beards, Gibdock’s managing director.
The TSL contract, with main contractor Babcock, runs until 2018 and includes fleet time maintenance, design services and spares management.
Task included capability upgrades such as installing davits port and starboard for Pacific 24 RIBs, modifying the CO2 containment module and upgrading compartment doors.
John Taylor, Gibdock’s operations director, said: “The infrastructure at Gibdock was built to last and is actually similar to that in place at Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard in the UK.”
He continued: “In addition to the favourable weather that makes navy work in Gibraltar possible year-round - even on deck - our managers have a background in MOD contracts enhanced by running a commercial shiprepair yard.”
The main body of work took place with HMS Scott afloat in Gibdock’s No.2 dry dock. Further work included; upper deck preservation, the replacement of existing lights with LED, cleaning of ventilation ducts and flushing of the main engine cooling system.
Mr Beards concluded: “HSM Scott follows up on our completion of works on the multi-role Royal Navy hydrographic survey ship HMS Echo in 2014.”
“Now that the MOD has demonstrated its confidence in Gibdock, we believe that a significant reactivation of Gibraltar’s historic role as a naval repair yard could follow.”
