HMS Scott, the largest vessel in the Royal Navy’s Hydrographic Squadron, recently completed a 19-day maintenance period at Gibdock’s Gibraltar yard.
Gibdock performed the work under the MOD UK Commercially Supported Shipping (CSS) Teams Through Life Support (TLS) contract with main contractor Babcock. The TLS contract, which runs to 2018, includes fleet time maintenance, design services and spares management.
The main body of work took place with HMS Scott afloat in Gibdock’s No.2 drydock. A new davits port and starboard for Pacific 24 RIBs were installed. The CO2 containment module was modified and a new gas detection system for the refrigeration system was fitted.
Other work included upper deck preservation, the replacement of the existing lights with LED, flushing of the main engine cooling system and various other planned maintenance activities on the ship’s equipment.
Richard Beards , Gibdock Managing Director, said: “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.”
“HMS 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.”
John Taylor , Gibdock Operations Director, added: “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. The yard’s lay-out, some of the equipment in use and key personnel are fully aligned with working on Royal Navy projects.”
The ocean survey vessel HMS Scott was built by Appledore Shipbuilders and delivered in 1997. The 131-meter ship is the only in its class and can stay at sea for up to 300 days a year.