Govan News

BAE Systems announced construction has begun on a new Applied Shipbuilding Academy at its Scotstoun shipyard on the banks of the River Clyde in Glasgow, as the company bolsters its efforts to develop future talent.Designed to support the development of the entire workforce, from apprentices to senior leaders, the Academy will comprise of a Modern Trade Hall and a Flexible Learning Hub. It will also serve to upskill the existing workforce while attracting new talent.A historic industrial building will be retrofitted to become the Modern Trade Hall…

A&P and Cammell Laird have been awarded contracts by BAE Systems to build units for the U.K. Royal Navy’s Type 26 Frigates.The advanced anti-submarine warfare vessels are being constructed at BAE Systems’ site in Govan, Scotland, but will incorporate units built by both A&P and Cammell Laird.A&P Tyne has built four lower units for Ship No3, HMS Belfast Ship 3, all of which were delivered earlier this year.

Construction on the U.K. Royal Navy's future HMS Birmingham has officially commenced at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard in Glasgow.Work on the first three Type 26 ships is well under way with HMS Glasgow now at BAE Systems’ Scotstoun shipyard to have her complex systems installed, HMS Cardiff currently being assembled and HMS Belfast in its early construction phase. HMS Birmingham is the first ship to be constructed under a £4.2 billion contract for the remaining five ships secured in November…

After a program of vital welding work, the Scottish Maritime Museum is on track to complete essential repairs to what is believed to be the oldest floating Clyde-built ship in time for the vessel’s 150th anniversary this Summer.The Scottish Maritime Museum raised £40,000 for much-needed repairs to the 1872 MV Kyles, one of Britain’s most important historic vessels and a rare and nationally important survivor from a key period in Glasgow shipbuilding, through a Keep the Kyles Afloat Crowdfunder campaign last year.The Museum’s technical team…

The UK plans to give a boost to the country's shipbuilding sector, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing a £4 billion (around $5.26 billion) injection into regional shipbuilding "to support thousands of high-quality jobs."The PM's office said in an announcement Thursday that funding will support shipyards and suppliers across the UK, delivering a pipeline of more than 150 new naval and civil vessels.The multi-billion pound investment will galvanize and support shipyards and suppliers across the UK…

AMS Global helped out in a most unusual project for the marine consulting and safety firm, helping to return The Floating Head back to the water,  33 years after it was first created.The Floating Head, a sculpture created by artist Richard Groom, was the centrepiece for Glasgow’s 1988 Garden Festival. It has been carefully restored over the past six months, and is now on public display at Canting Basin at Govan Docks, adjacent to Glasgow Science Centre, for the next four weeks.Inspired by the carvings on Easter Island…

A steel cutting ceremony was held for the U.K. Royal Navy's third Type 26 frigate, HMS Belfast, with all three of the first batch of City Class frigates now under construction.Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, set the plasma cutting machine to work on the first plate of steel at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Glasgow. The U.K.-sourced steel plate will form part of a unit which will contain the machinery space for the gearbox and stabilizers of HMS Belfast.Minister of State for Defense Baroness Goldie…

The aft block of the first City Class Type 26 frigate being built for the British Royal Navy has been rolled out of the build hall to join the forward block at BAE Systems' shipyard on the River Clyde.Teams at the Govan shipyard prepared and completed a series of complex maneuvers to bring the aft block out of the HMS Glasgow block and outfit hall and into position to meet the forward block.The aft block contains the versatile mission bay and hangar which is capable of supporting helicopters…

The first steel to be used in Britain's HMS Cardiff, an anti-submarine frigate, was ceremonially cut at BAE Systems' shipyard at Govan, Scotland."We have cut steel for the second Type 26 Global Combat Ship, HMS CARDIFF, marking an important milestone in the program to deliver the most advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability to the Royal Navy," said a press release from the British multinational defence company.BAE Systems employees and representatives from the Royal Navy, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP, Minister for Defence Procurement, performed the official duties; setting the plasma cutting machine to work on a plate of steel that will form part of the unit that holds vital fuel stores for the ship, it said.The company has designed and built the Type 26 Global Combat Ship in Glasgow.

HMS Tamar, the fourth of the Royal Navy’s five cutting-edge new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), has been formally named in Glasgow.HMS Tamar was the latest second-generation River-class ship to be officially launched, lowered into the water at BAE System’s Govan yard, then towed three kilometres downstream to the firm’s Scotstoun facility, where fitting out took place.The 90-metre vessel, which is equipped with a 30mm cannon and flight deck capable of accommodating a Merlin helicopter, is part of a five-strong OPV contract with BAE Systems, worth a combined GBP635m.Minister for Defence Procurement Stuart Andrew said: "From patrolling our coastlines and protecting UK waters, to anti-smuggling and counter terrorism operations, these ships are a key part of our Royal Navy fleet.

The third of five new River class offshore patrol vessels being built for the U.K. Royal Navy, HMS Trent, was officially named during a ceremony at the BAE Systems shipyard in Glasgow on Tuesday. “This is another landmark moment for the River class offshore patrol vessel program and an important day that honors the traditions of the Royal Navy,” said Iain Stevenson, Managing Director of BAE Systems Naval Ships. “Today is made even more special as we are able to see the full scale of Trent as she prepares to enter the water for the very first time in the next few days.

Construction has begun on a new warship for the U.K. Royal Navy as the Minister of State for Defense Procurement, Philip Dunne MP cut the first steel in Glasgow today. HMS Trent is the third of three River Class Batch 2 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) designed and constructed by BAE Systems. Employees, as well as representatives of the Royal Navy and local community, joined the Minister as he switched on a plasma cutting machine in a formal ceremony in Govan. “These new ships will…

The bridge section of the second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier set sail today from Glasgow on its first sea voyage to Rosyth. Upper Block 07 is where HMS Prince of Wales will be commanded atop the flight deck and is known as the Forward Island. As the main hub of the ship it contains the bridge and approximately 100 vital mission systems compartments. Mick Ord, Managing Director at BAE Systems Naval Ships, said, “This Forward Island is a remarkable feat of engineering…

The bridge section of the U.K.’s second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier has been loaded out of its dock hall in Glasgow ahead of its first sea voyage to Rosyth. Upper Block 07 is where HMS Prince of Wales will be commanded atop the flight deck and is known as the Forward Island. As the main hub of the ship it contains the bridge and approximately 100 vital mission systems compartments. The Forward Island has been under wraps in Govan since construction on the section began in December 2013, but it is now visible from the west end of Glasgow.

Fendercare Marine has signed a contract with BAE Systems Naval Ships for the provision of rudder blades, rudder stocks, sleeves/liners for rudder stock, anchors, chain and deck equipment for three new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the U.K. Royal Navy. Production of the new OPVs commenced in October 2014 at BAE Systems’ facility in Govan, Glasgow. The 90-meter OPV is based on a BAE Systems design already in service with the Brazilian Navy and Royal Thai Navy. Engineers at BAE Systems have modified the design, ensuring it meets the requirements of the Royal Navy. Fendercare said it was chosen for this contract based on its past experience working with BAE Systems and track record of working on the Amazonas class vessels.

Showy entertainment venues, museums and new housing blocks have replaced many of the shipyards that once lined Glasgow's River Clyde. Long gone are the days when the area was an industrial powerhouse producing around a fifth of the world's ships - now Scotland's largest city promotes itself instead as a financial and commercial hub, soon to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. But although billions of pounds of investment have given Glasgow a shining new waterfront and growth in sectors like financial services…

The flight deck of the first of the Royal Navy's new aircraft carriers is now finished, with the last 2 sections added to 'HMS Queen Elizabeth' in the Rosyth, Scotland, building yard. The mighty Goliath crane lifted the sponsons – the sections protruding from the hull which give an aircraft carrier its unique shape – to join the remainder of the ship in her dry dock. To accommodate the F-35 Lightning II jets, which will land and take off from the ship, a ski ramp will be installed next month – mirroring the feature which propelled the Harrier skywards on the Invincible-Class of carriers.

'HMS Duncan', the sixth and last of the Royal Navy's new-generation Type 45 destroyers, has been formally commissioned into the fleet. Hundreds of guests, including families of the 190-strong ship’s company, attended the ceremony marking the ship’s transition into front line service. Principal guests at the commissioning ceremony included Lady Marie Ibbotson – the ship’s sponsor who launched the vessel at BAE Systems ’ Govan shipyard on the River Clyde in October 2010 – and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir George Zambellas.

Babcock delivers final Integrated Waste Management System (IWMS) component for UK’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. The Babcock-designed IWMS handles the various fluid and solid waste streams generated onboard the aircraft carriers and processes these until the products are benign and compatible with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) requirements for overboard discharge, or can be stored efficiently until landed. It integrates the oily water system, black (sewage) and grey (from showers…

The largest section of future carrier 'HMS Queen Elizabeth' is now complete & embarks on 1,230 mile barge trip. This gigantic segment - officially known as Lower Block 04 and weighing 11,300 tonnes - was towed on a barge down the Clyde on Sunday to begin a 1,230-nautical-mile (2,278km) journey around the south of England to Rosyth. Originally the shorter route around the north of Scotland had been planned. However, bad weather in the north of the UK forced reconsideration and the route was changed to around the south of England and up to Rosyth through the North Sea.

In Glasgow, Scotland, workers moved out the biggest section of 'HMS Queen Elizabeth', the first of two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy. A team of 40 moved the 11,300 tonne aft section, known as Lower Block 04, across the specially reinforced tarmac at the yard in less than three hours using 450 remote controlled transporters. “Today marks the culmination of months of hard work and preparation and I am extremely proud of the team’s achievements in successfully loading out the aft section on time and built to an exceptional standard.

The Royal Navy's newest Type 45 destroyer, 'HMS Defender', sails to her new home at Naval Base Portsmouth. The ship's arrival at her new base brings Defender a step closer to her first deployment. She will now undergo sea trials before being declared ready for operations in 2013. Armed with the world-leading Sea Viper missile defence system, the 7,500-tonne vessel is able to defend against multiple attacks from even the most sophisticated anti-ship missiles, approaching from any direction and at supersonic speeds.

Glasgow, Scotland - Construction of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the first of two new aircraft carriers being built for the UK Royal Navy, took a significant step forward today, as the two giant sections of Lower Block 04 (LB04) were brought together for the first time in a precision move at BAE Systems’ Govan shipyard. Almost the full length of a football pitch, the structure and largest section of hull under construction is so large that it stretches beyond the doors of the ship build hall in which it sits.