Babcock Marine News

Defense company Babcock International has delivered Type 23 frigate HMS St. Albans back to the Royal Navy for sea trials three months ahead of the planned schedule, following a refit operation.Once the current sea trials are completed, HMS St. Albans, with her 178-strong crew, will return to sea as the most advanced, equipped, and capable Type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy’s fleet, boasting next-generation weapons systems and radar, according to Babcock.During her time in dock…

Babcock International Group (Babcock) appointed Paul Armstrong to lead its marine sector, delivering a number of critical UK and international defence programmes, including the UK’s Type 31 frigates for the Royal Navy.With a career that started in shipbuilding in Barrow-in-Furness, Armstrong brings a wealth of wide-ranging industry experience to grow and develop one of Babcock’s core business sectors. Joining Babcock from Draken International, the aviation defence business where he was CEO responsible for operations in the UK…

A consortium of British companies, academia and government  formally established a new national center for maritime innovation and technology (MarRI-UK). The center, offering  development opportunities for the UK’s $45B maritime sector, is based at the University of Strathclyde, with hubs to be announced across the UK. The center will provide a collaborative innovation vehicle to jointly tackle innovation and technology challenges.The first area of collaborative focus is Clean…

“Britannia rules the waves” paid a glowing tribute to the maritime past of the United Kingdom. Over the past three centuries as the sun began to set on the British power, resilient U.K. with its pioneering characteristics began its voyage of transformation to become a world-class maritime services center, with one of the largest clusters of marine insurance, ship finance, law, classification societies, ship broking, education and consultancy organizations. Significantly, two factors were responsible for this change. The first being marine transport, since it was the only point of access to the British Isles, and the second was the maritime trade and naval power that have had a great impact on the maritime sector influencing the country’s economy for several centuries.

HMS Queen Elizabeth was floated out of the Babcock dock in Rosyth (UK). Designed and built by BAE Systems and assembled by Babcock Marine, the HMS Queen Elizabeth is the biggest, and most powerful, surface warship ever to join the Royal Navy and capable of carrying up to forty aircraft. The aircraft carrier, the first of the Queen Elizabeth-class, was officially named by the Queen. BAE Systems chose FORAN as its design tool in 2006 and SENER’s software has been the CAD/CAM/CAE system for this project.

The Eighth FORAN Users Meeting (FORUM 2014) took place June 11-13, 2014 in the Parador de la Granja, Segovia, and when it was over the organizers proclaimed it a great success, recording the highest number of participants ever. On Thursday June 12, Rafael de Góngora, General Manager of SENER Marine Business Unit, welcomed the attendees and encouraged an open sharing of experience in using the FORAN System. Miguel Ángel Rojí, from Navantia (Spain), presented about the optimization of the design and production in the Spanish shipbuilding group of reference.

Warbreck Engineering and Construction, a wholly owned subsidiary of the HS Ocean Group of Companies, has been awarded a marine contract by BAE Systems for the manufacturing a structural support framework as part of a plan to create a full-size steel replica of the new Successor class submarine’s nuclear reactor compartment. The support framework will be manufactured and assembled in sections at Warbreck’s  24,000-square-meter facility - dimensionally checked at each stage – and then shipped to the BAE Systems site in Barrow, where it will be reassembled. Its primary use will be to allow personnel to safely access the mock up, carry out design justification reviews and assist in the development of future crew by enabling training activities to be undertaken in a ‘real life’ scenario.

Organized every two years among the FORAN users, the Eight FORAN Users Meeting (FORUM 2014) took place from June 11-13 in the Parador de la Granja, Segovia. The event started on Wednesday, June 11, with a guided visit to the Royal Palace and Gardens of La Granja, and with a welcome reception to the nearly hundred participants that arrived from all over the world. On Thursday, June 12, Rafael de Góngora, General Manager of SENER Marine Business Unit, welcomed the attendees thanking…

Royal Navy Type 23 frigate 'HMS Somerset' returns to sea for the first time in 9 months following an extensive modernization. The Type 23 frigate has a new lease of life as one of the most advanced fighting ships in the fleet due following docking and upgrade in her home port, Devonport Naval Base,  in partnership with Babcock Marine. The warship’s fighting capability is now among the most advanced in the world, while the living arrangements and main machinery have been improved and overhauled.

The vessel, one of the UK's four Vanguard Class nuclear submarines, has been officially handed back to the Navy for operational use. Known as a Long Overhaul Period (Refuel), the work package was an enormous engineering task, with the submarine emerging as effectively a new boat inside. Around 2.2 million man-hours were involved in the overhaul under a £350m contract with Babcock Marine at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth. The work that was carried out included the installation of improved strategic weapons equipment and the integration of the tactical weapons command systems.

Imtech has been awarded a design & build contract for the high-tech climate technology aboard the new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers being built for the British Royal Navy. The order represents a value of more than about $187m. The ships, which are 918.6 ft long, are the largest naval ships ever to be built in the UK. The two aircraft carriers are about 65,000 tons each, a size between the American Nimitz class and the French Charles de Gaulle class. The high-tech design and build order is a direct order from Babcock Marine, a member of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance.

FBM Babcock Marine Ltd has appointed Nick Pearson as commercial manager and Craig Patrick has joined the company as sales manager for commercial vessels. Nick Pearson has joined FBM Babcock Marine from Three Quays Marine Services where he was business development manager. He is a Master Mariner who has spent his career in the marine industry, working with P&O, Stena Line, SWATH International and Samsung Heavy Industries. He brings with him a wide experience in the high-speed craft industry and will be responsible for FBM Babcock Marine's sales team and commercial operations. Craig Patrick has joined FBM Babcock Marine from Maritime Dynamics where he was their sales manager.

FBM Babcock Marine, in partnership with licensed shipyard partner Astilleros De Murueta, was awarded a contract for the construction of three 45 m (150 ft.) patrol vessels for the Coast Guard Command of the Armada de Ecuador (Ecuador Navy). The Armada de Ecuador announced that Astilleros De Murueta, using the FBM Babcock Marine Vigilante patrol vessel, was selected as their choice for their new fleet of patrol vessels. The Vigilante patrol vessel is a registered design from the FBM Protector class, designed as a reliable, capable but cost-effective patrol vessel.

The final batch three FBM Protector33 patrol vessel of the Danubio project has been baptised and commissioned the General Service Patrol Boat (LSG) "Iquique" at a ceremony in the ASMAR (Astilleros y Maestranzas de la Armada) shipyard in Talcahuano, Chile. The ceremony marked the ended of the current production of boats for the Danubio Project and is the 16th FBM Babcock Marine designed 33m Protector Patrol Vessels constructed by ASMAR for the General Directorate of Maritime Territory and Merchant Marine over a six year period. The commissioning ceremony was headed by Admiral Miguel Angel Vergara, the Commander in Chief of the Chilean Navy, who was welcomed by Rear Admiral Heinz Pearce, ASMAR Executive Director.

The U.S. Army's Tank Automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) awarded FBM Babcock Marine, a contract to commence the overhaul and modernization of its fleet of specialist Bridge Erection Boats (BEBs). The contract to upgrade the existing U.S. Army BEBs of Mk1 and Mk2 specification to a new BEB-M22 specification will be managed by FBM Babcock Marine from Southampton in the UK, in conjunction with Silver Ships Inc. of Theodore, Ala. The work to be performed under the modernization program will include condition assessments, structural and coating overhauls, replacement of obsolete equipment including new waterjets, marine diesel engines and control systems, and the development of a new Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package.

FBM Babcock Marine has been awarded an order for six 86-ft. aircrew training vessels by SMIT International (Scotland) Ltd. The order follows the U.K. MOD award of a contract following competition under the Public Private Partnership Program to SMIT International for the provision of aircrew training and firing range safety services. The FBM Babcock Marine vessels will be used by SMIT International to train military aircrew in marine survival techniques and be delivered within 16 months. The vessels will be funded by way of a structured lease with Lombard Corporate Finance, a member of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc. The vessels are an adaptation of FBM Babcock Marine's 86-ft.

Babcock International Group Plc unit Babcock Engineering Services said it has bought high-speed ferry manufacturer FBM Marine Holdings (UK) Ltd from the Hong Kong Parkview Group. The name of FBM will reportedly be changed to FBM Babcock Marine Ltd.

FBMA Babcock Marine has agreed with ferry operator Dae A Express Shipping Co. of Pohang, South Korea, for the construction of a 171 ft. (52 m) TriCat fast passenger ferry. The award is subsequent to the successful acquisition by Babcock Engineering, demonstrating further the group's presence in both the commercial and military markets. The TriCat will operate on two major routes - Mokho to the Ulleng Island - and North Korea. The latter is in support of the construction of a Power Station facility being built under the watch of the Korea Energy Power Corp. KEPCO. Measuring 171 ft. (52 m), the vessel will transport 447 passengers at up to 43 knots, powered by four MTU 16V4000 M70 engines driving through Kamewa 63 waterjets.

FBM Babcock Marine Ltd, one of the world's leading designers and builders of high speed ferries and specialist patrol vessels has elected Steven Scott as its new commercial director. Scott's appointment is part of the company's actions to reinforce its management as it expands its business.

Three 88 ft. patrol vessels being built by Southampton based FBM Babcock Marine Ltd have arrived in the Port of Southampton on the back of a heavy lift mother ship. The vessels are part of a six vessel fleet designed by FBM Babcock Marine and built in their shipyards in Scotland and the Philippines for SMIT International (Scotland) Ltd. The vessels will be used by SMIT International (Scotland) for training military aircrew in marine survival techniques, helicopter winching drills and general marine support tasks, as part of a Public Private Partnership Programme awarded by the UK MOD. The boats are undergoing final preparation prior to handover to their owners in the next week.

FBM Babcock Marine has been awarded an additional $1.28 million contract for the provision of a full Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package relating to the current US Army Bridge Erection Boat (BEB) refurbishment project. The ILS package award includes new technical manuals, parts breakdown books, operational manuals and training packages. The modification is an extension to the original contract awarded in October 2001, for which FBM Babcock Marine is the propulsion integrator for the US Coastguard led refurbishment work on the fleet of FBM Babcock US Army BEB's. FBM Babcock has also subsequently been awarded additional work to supply further components for the vessel refurbishment, including the replacement of all buoyancy material in the vessels.