BAE Systems has handed over a new workshop facility to the Royal Navy, marking the end of a project that is expected to save the Ministry of Defence (MOD) more than £1m a year as well as boost apprenticeship opportunities in the region.
The project at Portsmouth Naval Base to create the Thunderer workshop began in 2015 and forms part of the largest investment in workshop facilities at the base for a generation.
It began with the renovation of the Skills Development Centre, officially re-opened by the then-Second Sea Lord in 2016, which is where BAE Systems apprentices learn the crafts required to support the Royal Navy’s ships. Not only that, local Small to Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are invited to send their apprentices to the facility to learn from our trainers.
BAE Systems co-ordinated the £9m renovation of the former Steel Production Hall to create the new facility, which consolidates a number of mechanical workshop trades under one roof to deliver efficiencies in maintenance, running costs and operational performance.
The whole project has been jointly funded by BAE Systems, MOD and the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (SLEP).
James Davis, Strategic Development Director for BAE Systems Maritime Services, said: “In light of current financial pressures this investment would not have been possible using traditional funding routes, but through a partnership between the MOD, SLEP and BAE Systems, we have enabled this project to proceed.
In addition to providing the capability required to support the Portsmouth Flotilla, including the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers, we are able to offer the facility and training opportunities to local companies, helping them invest in the vital skills this region needs.
Given the benefits this project has brought the Naval Base and the local area, I would like to think the project could provide a ‘blueprint’ for wider investment across the Base.”
The Thunderer workshop project forms part of the wider Portsmouth 2030 Programme, which identifies essential infrastructure investments to provide a safe, resilient and efficient Naval Base to meet the current and future needs of the Navy.
Captain Iain Greenlees, Head of Naval Base infrastructure, said: “The investment in our Naval Base workshop facilities, as part of the Portsmouth 2030 infrastructure programme, is indicative of the holistic approach being taken to ensure the investment in Naval Base infrastructure. The combined workshop facility will not only enable the provision of effective engineering support for the Portsmouth Flotilla, but also signifies our commitment to the investment in our people and future generations of engineers.”
Barry Woolley, Operations Director for Warship Support, added: “The investment in improved facilities will enable enhanced training and support the retention of key skills within ship engineering. We will maximise the benefits and opportunities that this new development provides in support of the Naval Base mission, getting ships to sea on time, to cost and in the right condition.”
