HMS Prince of Wales Goes for Maiden Voyage
Britain's newest aircraft carrier has sailed out of Rosyth dockyard for the first time. The GBP3bln, 65000 ton HMS Prince of Wales will sit at anchor in the River Forth for around 2-7 days following departure from the dockyard to complete Initial Sea Safety Training.The vessel is the sister ship of HMS Queen Elizabeth."Cammell Laird is proud to have played a key role in the construction of this magnificent vessel – one of the most powerful surface warships ever constructed in the UK," said a press release from the British shipbuilding company.Following Cammell Laird’s successful completion of nine units for the first Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier, the company’s block building expertise was called upon once again in 2013.
Naval Engineering Conference & Exhibition Program Launched
The 11th International Naval Engineering Conference and Exhibition (INEC 2012), featuring the theme ‘Engineering Naval Capability,’ is set for Edinburgh next month with a keynote address by Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope GCB OBE ADC, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Ministry of Defense. Organized by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) INEC 2012 is being held from Tuesday May 15 through Thursday May 17, with sessions on ship design, electric propulsion, survivability, system selection, environment and safety, submarines, design, and civil/military transfer, sustainability, unmanned operations, and affordability. Speakers come from 11 countries – Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, The Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia, UK, and USA.
Merger Between BAE Systems and VT Close to Completion
BAE Systems and VT Group were reported to be close to completing a $1.9b merger of their shipbuilding assets. The tie-up, which it was reported could happen in about five weeks, is being driven by the Ministry of Defence's desire for industry consolidation ahead of a aircraft carrier project for the Royal Navy. The MoD also believes that one national champion will stand a better chance of winning export orders in the future. It will also allow the companies to concentrate on specialist skills rather than duplicating operations. BAE Systems and VT Group said in December that they were in early discussions regarding the combination of their surface ship and naval support businesses. Source: Yorkshire Post
