Fort Victoria News

UK based shipbuilding and engineering company Cammell Laird  has completed GBP44mln Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort Victoria Refit.The supply ship Fort Victoria, one of the largest vessels operated by the UK Ministry of Defence, has put to sea following the completion of the refit by the Birkenhead-base shipyard and marine engineering services provider.The year-long programme of work, represented phase two of RFA Fort Victoria’s life extension programme to keep her in service until 2025.Dubbed ‘Britain’s number one pirate catcher’ after playing a key role in numerous counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, the ship has rejoined the UK’s surface fleet…

British shipbuilding company Cammell Laird has welcomed the first Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel, RFA Tidespring, to its Birkenhead shipyard as part its GBP619mln deal to maintain nine vessels over the next 10 years.The 39,000 tonne Tide-class tanker RFA Tidespring is now moored for its inaugural docking period.The Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced in October 2018 that Cammell Laird had been chosen to provide support to all four Tide class tankers – RFA Tidespring, RFA Tiderace, RFA Tidesurge and RFA Tideforce – following a competitive two-year tender process.At the same time the company was awarded a second 10-year contract that will see it continue to provide support for the vessels RFA Fort Victoria…

USS Laboon (DDG 58) intercepted a small stateless dhow in the international waters of the Arabian Sea March 13, seizing 270 kilograms of heroin. Laboon, conducting maritime security operations in the region as a part of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Combined Maritime Forces, was conducting an inspection of the vessel as part of a flag verification boarding when the illicit cargo was found. "Keeping these drugs off the street helps everyone, and keeps money from those who use the profits for harm," said Cmdr. Jason Labott, Laboon's commanding officer. The operation could not have succeeded without cooperation between U.S. Navy and U.K. Royal Navy vessels under the command of a Royal Canadian Navy commodore.

LIVERPOOL City Region has launched a new  £2.5 million maritime training academy which it believes is the only one in the U.K. to create vitally needed skills and become a beacon of international excellence. Hugh Baird College, Bootle, and its supporting partners officially launch the Port Academy Liverpool (PAL) with some 200 guests from across the U.K. representing the maritime industry, Merchant Navy, Royal Navy – both past and present - and charitable trusts. Port Academy Liverpool will provide first class academic…

The Combined Maritime Forces operation was co-ordinated from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel 'Fort Victoria' with support from Australian ship HMAS Melbourne, South Korean destroyer ROKS Wang Geon, European Union flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt and a Seychelles-based maritime patrol aircraft from Luxembourg. The task force had been searching for the pirates since they attacked and exchanged gunfire with the supertanker ‘Island Splendor’ on Friday, 11 October 2013. Three days later a Spanish fishing vessel was also attacked by what was suspected to be the same pirates.

Even with a multi-national flotilla of warships, armed security guards on merchant ships, and phalanxes of lawyers making policy and negotiating ransoms, seemingly unsophisticated Somalis and their small, simple skiffs still attack ships on the high seas and hold seafarers, ships and cargos for ever-growing sums of money. Rear Adm. Terry McKnight, a retired naval officer, had a front row seat in the effort to deter and defend against piracy on the high seas. McKnight, who with Michael Hirsh wrote Pirate Alley – Commanding Task Force 151 Off Somalia…

NATO disrupts pirate mother ship responsible for the attack on MV Montecristo. Following NATO's successful release of the pirated Italian merchant vessel, MV Montecristo, earlier last week, the naval units contributing to NATO's counter piracy operation succeeded in locating and disrupting the suspected pirate mother ship responsible for the attack. Successful coordination of military assets and information sharing amongst naval units operating in the region made it possible to locate the pirate dhow which was stopped whilst heading towards the Somali coast.

In the last few days the number of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia has increased highlighting the fact that now the monsoon is weakening, the pirates are once again ready to attack merchant ships transiting through the Indian Ocean. MC Northwood's Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Hank Ort (NLD N) states, "in the last few years, it has been the case that come October when the South West monsoon weakens, the pirates have been able to put to sea and we have seen the number of attacks on merchant vessels increase.

Aided by four tugs the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort Victoria arrived at Falmouth Docks on Tuesday, April 6, morning’s tide, to begin a multi-million pound refit that will last until mid August. Looking somewhat tired after a busy operational year, first supporting HMS Ark Royal in the Gulf War and then a period in the north of Scotland, the ship is having an extensive refit. A&P Falmouth Commercial Director David Daniel said that the refit would involve approximately three hundred men per day working on the ship. “This is a major MoD contract for Falmouth and one that we are delighted to have won, and is the biggest contract for the docks in its recent history.” This is the second multi-million pound refit won by the yard in a month.

A&P Tyne has won the latest refit contract involving ships operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) - to carry out the 4-month refit of the fleet supply vessel RFA Fort Rosalie in their Wallsend yard. The contract from the U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD), which will began on June 15, has secured 500 jobs for the duration of the refit. This contract follows the recent successful refit and repairs carried out aboard the RFA Fort Victoria, which also drydocked at A&P Tyne earlier this year. While in dry dock and alongside the repair berth, the RFA Fort Rosalie will undergo a major repair program including rudder repairs, an extensive painting program…

A&P Falmouth has been awarded the contract to dry dock and repair the RFA Gold Rover by the Ministry of Defence (M.o.D). The Warship Support Agency (W.S.A.) vessel is due to arrive in Falmouth on October 14 for a docking period which is expected to last for two months. Work involved will include hull preparation and painting, steel and pipe work, auxiliary engine survey and refurbishment, accommodation upgrade and refurbishment, switchboard and electrical systems surveys and various other surveys to plant and equipment. The RFA Gold Rover follows several other RFA vessels which have dry docked with A&P Group throughout 2002 including the RFA Fort Victoria and the RFA Fort Rosalie at A&P Tyne and the RFA Brambleleaf at A&P Falmouth.

The U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) Warship Support Agency (WSA) has awarded the dry dock and repair contract of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort Victoria to A&P Tyne at Wallsend. The multi million pound contract is excellent news for the local community as it will provide work for up to 500 men including subcontractors during March, April and May (2002) in the Wallsend yard. The work includes hull preparation and painting, main engine overhaul, repairs to deck machinery and Replenishment at Sea (RAS) equipment, electrical work and an extensive alterations and additions package. The Fort Victoria is one of the most complex vessels operated by the RFA. The 17,000dwt vessel is 203.9m in length and 30m in beam and was built in 1990 at Belfast's Harland & Wolff.