The Defence Infrastructure Organisation is spending £64 million in a redevelopment of the Northern Ammunition Jetty in Glen Mallan in Scotland.
The Scottish jetty is being upgraded to serve the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
The Glen Mallan Jetty is located on the edge of Loch Long and is capable of accommodating a variety of Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels so that they can be loaded and unloaded with munitions as well as other provisions such as food and spare parts. The explosives license for the jetty allows up to 440 tonnes of explosives to be handled there.
According to the Ministry of Defence:
“The jetty is used to load and unload ammunition. The original jetty was last upgraded in 1970 and had reached the end of its natural life. It needed to be rebuilt so that the facility could continue to be used by the Royal Navy’s existing vessels and to make it suitable for the new aircraft carriers. The infrastructure works are expected to provide the new jetty with a design life of up to 50 years. Contractors VolkerStevin are undertaking the project with completion planned for 2021. The original jetty has been demolished ready for the construction of its replacement. All waste from the jetty demolition has been transported on barges to recycling facilities on the Clyde to minimise disruption to the public and will be reused for construction. The project team has also installed 97 jetty head piles into the sea bed to support a reinforced concrete deck for the new jetty.
The works also include the installation of 5 mooring dolphins which will be connected to the jetty by a pedestrian access bridge, and two of these piles for the mooring dolphins have been installed. 2 modular fender spacer units will be placed in front of the new fender panel and will move with the tide to prevent the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers’ overhanging flight decks from colliding with the jetty. The project also includes the installation of 2 modern pedestal cranes, fire-fighting equipment, stores, back-up generators and pre-fabricated modular buildings for offices. To secure the site, new fencing and a CCTV system will be installed. Part of the project will see 14 mooring points installed on the dolphins to ensure the aircraft carriers can be securely berthed and resist tidal movement.”
Craig Macdonald, DIO’s Project Manager, said:
“The demolition of the existing jetty is an important step in preparing the site for vital infrastructure works to support the Royal Navy’s surface fleet in loading and unloading ammunition. Glen Mallan benefits from supplies of ammunition from Defence Munitions Glen Douglas, the largest weapons storage facility in western Europe, and can handle the high volume of ammunition needed for the surface fleets. We are pleased demolition has been completed along with the installation of 97 piles into the seabed. Infrastructure works are progressing as planned and we look forward to continuing to work in collaboration with VolkerStevin, Jacobs, local contractors and other partners to complete this crucial project.”
John McLoughlin, Marine and Defence Sector Director for VolkerStevin said:
“We are delighted to be delivering this key piece of infrastructure for DIO which further strengthens our relationship following the successful completion of other critical projects, including the Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier Base Porting Infrastructure at HMNB Portsmouth and the Ro-Ro facility upgrade and refurbishment scheme in the Falklands Islands.”
Work on the jetty refurbishment is set to be completed in early 2021.
Fascinating place Glen Douglas, it is just to the east of the Jetty in the valleys and hidden under the mountains.
Would be another big problem for the UK to replace if the SNP get their way. It and DM Beith have much of our inventory of bombs and missiles.
Scottish independence never going to happen.
Sean, I don’t want it but BoJo and Co have looked very amateurish compared to Wee Jimmy and Co on dealing with the Covid. On the back of that, there has been an increase in the vote of for independence in Scotland. Hopefully it will pass although I can’t help but think BoJo and Co are a banana skin away from making it more likely. Hopefully the Russian involvement wouldn’t be the same in a future referendum.
Smoke and mirrors. So for example, the spread and fatality rate in care-homes in Scotland is almost twice as bad as England’s, and Wales’ is pretty dire too. But you don’t get the anti-Bojo media reporting that.
Could well be smoke and mirrors but perception is a big part of things and the perception is generally in Scotland is that Wee Jimmy has dealt with Corona better than BoJo. Of course its easier in Scotland because a large part of our income comes as a grant from Westminster which gives a bit more breathing space than it does for BoJo but that’s not something that everyone will think or care about, especially if you’re already tilted towards independence. It pains me to say it but she has come across very well in this current crisis and for… Read more »
Andy when we get to the next independence referendum (probably some way away) there will be plenty of time for the Scots to chew over taking their share of the debt we have produced and their ability to do the kind financial bail out the UK has achieved should it be necessary in the future. I will be impressed if they can shift to getting two thirds of the vote in the polls. A few percentage points might well fade in time. That said there seems to be a growing view in England that the Scots just whinge a lot… Read more »
The SNP have a succinct name that clearly reflects their mission, backed by a drumbeat that proclaims the message for decade upon decade. Sooner or later one feels that this policy is going to triumph through cultural familiarity, if little else of real substance. Now, being wholeheartedly committed to democracy, I cannot gainsay the Scots right to separation if that is their mandated wish. However I do think, as an Englishman with very recent Scottish ancestry, lifelong interest in the history and friends who, though resident down here, are direct born Scots and United Kingdom enthusiasts both. One of whom,… Read more »
Gavin, I also have Scottish ancestry which I can trace back to Mary Queen of Scots. Immediate members of my family have died on foreign lands fighting for Scottish regiments so I would prefer the UK to remain united for sentimental reasons if nothing else. I am sure I am not alone. Part of the issue here though is that we cannot all have what we want and the Scots are no exception. To break up the UK following Brexit and Covid would be pure stupidity and no PM of any political colour would entertain it once someone had sat… Read more »
If nothing else, the future holds fascination. One just cannot be disinterested. Mind you, I do look at my grandchildren and reflect……
Regards
Gavin, each generation faces it’s own challenges. Previous generations have faced poverty and war. They have built railways, cars, cities and the internet. Generally we are going in the right direction. It amuses me to hear the youngsters talk of previous generations although we have been blundering around wreaking the planet for no reason. It is for them now to improve things and make it better for their children. That includes improving international relations. The big worry for us all is they will ignore the lessons of the past and make our mistakes all over again. Kids seem to be… Read more »
Just an aside, Mark, but being a litter retriever (sort of dog, I suppose) since a scolding by my mum in the1950s! I’m concious that the YGW (young green warriors) seem as adept at ditching fizzy cans and snack packets as ever ‘we’ were. However, young Sophie, who’s with us for the time being, does seem to have inherited the anti-litter gene, thank goodness.
Regards
Mark B, each generation has to find ‘its place’, both as an individual and as a collective. Its not a conscious thing, it wasn’t for me but with hindsight, aye. As a collective we like to be part of something (we’re still a very tribal bunch) and attach ourselves to some great cause.
Its only as you get older that some of us see it for what it is, egotistic. I wouldn’t be young again for ‘all the tea in China’ (as us old buggers say).
Like China or North Korea; it helps if like Sturgeon one has the tribal and totalitarian mentality when facing an external threat.
In an earlier post you claimed that the media had little effect on public opinion….so what are you worried about? By the way, that assertion is as half-arsed as any I have seen on this website over the last few years.
The media does have little effect on the king term opinion, what I was criticising was thinking the media’s opinion is the public’s opinion. The media lost touch with the public long ago and foolishly think they diktat what the public should think.
I see, so your too stupid to devise a rebuttal to my argument so you default to an ad hominem attack. Typical response of the brain dead.
Thanks Sean…if it helps, I think that you are a bit of a twat yourself. Talk about ad hominem… Quote: ‘Difficult to investigate the fevered imaginings of sore losers that can’t accept a democratic result’. The idea that the media didn’t influence the Brexit result is absurd. Public opinion of the EEC and EU had been influenced for decades by right-wing idiots in the Daily Heil and the Sun. Where do you think they got there opinions from…University Challenge, the Financial Times, the BBC, attending the LSE…I think not! Of course they had these opinions before the Brexit campaign…they came… Read more »
In the case of Covid even the right wing media has been highly critical of Johnson – with good reason.
You mean the Remoaner media? Well they have their own reasons for putting the boot into a Boris. Yes with the benefit of hindsight there’s been mistakes made, every country with hindsight would probably have done some things different. It’s the same in war, even the victors have regrets about some decisions made. But the majority of the failings here lie with the bureaucrats; such as Public Health England only wanting to use its labs for testing and not the horrid private sectors. Or with the science, such as starting lockdown late because Ferguson at Imperial College modelled doubling at… Read more »
You are correct when you say mistakes have been made. I personally will be impressed when the Government ensures such mistakes (and similar mistakes) can’t happen again.
Hindsight is only useful for future decisions. Anybody looking backwards is missing the point in my view.
If true it’s only because the BBC constantly criticise the UK govt and suck up to wee jimmy.
The reality is that there is little difference.
The BBC run scared of the tories and treat them with kid gloves. I think it might be something to do with the stranglehold of the license fee.
A superb joke, but it will never get you on “Live at the Apollo”.
Not meant to be a joke, as I’m sure you’re aware.
None of the news organisations seem very impressive nowadays probably because they are peddling opinions rather than news – it is cheaper. Maybe the news needs to properly funded and factual. The BBC should be challenging rubbish from wherever it originates whether it be Moscow, Milbank or Downing St.
Absolutely agree.
Unfortunately we are getting ever closer to independence in Scotland. It seems the SNP is currently playing the semi long game by progressively demonstrating that the Scottish government is better run for Scottish people than west minister, and based on the polls is succeeding with majority now supporting independence, but only just. Let’s face it, its an easy job right now with Boris messing up Brexit negotiations (oven ready deal is clearly burnt) and more so Covid. In the last election if the SNP had bothered to listen to the people and come up with a currency plan, they might… Read more »
Independence is no closer.
Cameron was stupid enough to authorise a transfer of powers for the Scottish Referendum but I doubt any other PM will be that stupid; not even Starmer should he ever win.
The SNP could try and stage their own illegal referendum but we saw how well that worked for Catalonia.
Spain’s treatment of Catalonia drew a lot of condemnation from around the world and going down the ‘treason’ route made them look petty. It also apparently hardened the resolve in Catalonia to make it happen although I’ve no idea if that has died down. While an illegal referendum would generate drama, its not worth the paper its written on unless there is a high turn out and that would be unlikely. There are some on the far ‘edge’ of the SNP who want it and Wee Jimmy has a bit of a juggling act to keep them sweet while trying… Read more »
The SNP have no desire to do an illegal referendum at this stage, as they aren’t guaranteed to win and if they lost they would be dead as a party. They are building their case with the people to ensure that they have a majority which all the opinion pools seem to indicate that they are succeeding with this (currently its something like 52-55% in favor which is too close to call as people will change their minds as the main campaigns started), just not there yet. Lets not deceive ourselves, the last vote was hardly a resounding vote for… Read more »
As a minor point what exactly would Scotland do with independence? It would be a midget economy on the world scale and it doesnt generate anywhere near enough income to pay for its needs, it doesnt meet half the criteria for EU membership with regards to deficit and borrowing, it would have to set up trade agreements with everyone to get along, a border may be needed with England. What exactly does it aim to achieve by voting for it?
Sovereignty. It matters more to some people than prosperity, apparently.
Sovereignty can indeed bring prosperity in the right scenario, for Scotland that would not be the case. It currently benefits hugely by being part of the UK hence I am asking the question on here to try get a view point from people who think its a good idea.
To that end I’d like to give a politician a little credit where it is due, and recognise that Cameron did pass the decision to the UK where the EU is concerned (yes, I know there is always calculation) and the Scots on Indy. No matter, or maybe because of, his despair over the outcome of the first and risk in the second, I call that democracy, and am proud that the UK evinced it, regardless of where we end up. We had previously gone through decades of prefarication on the extent of our right to predetermination on both fronts.… Read more »
So at just 20 miles from Glasgow, Loch Long contains the UK’s nuclear weapons store, and the largest conventional weapons store in Western Europe, and an oil terminal and is next door to a nuclear submarine base. No wonder the SNP want us out.
Just think of the job losses if Independence was voted for would the thousands who lost well paid positions in the defence industry not just in the various bases but also in shipbuilding.
Its a very likely target in a war mind!
But they also want the rest of the defence industry goodies currently residing there. They probably want NATO cover as well, which happens to come with an implicite nuclear umbrella – a party policy that demonstrates an early example of virtue signalling to my mind.
Us, whos us? Its the British Military units based in Scotland, whos us? Theres not an English Navy there, or a Welsh Army….UK military, so I ask again, whos us?
Exactly. I have the feeling that is a case of when rather than if the SNP get their way unfortunately. The government should be planning for this eventuality now but of course will be turning a blind eye until it is too late. ‘To fail to plan is to plan to fail’ seems to be the modus operandi of this administration.
Remember it as somewhat eerie as a youngster finding your ship alongside and on its own with an enveloping mist.
We seem to be making all the right infrastructure moves as the UK taking into account warship construction facilities, jetties and RAF base upgrades, but there’s a definite danger most will end up in the wrong place. With the relentless SNP drumbeat and the inexorable shift in the opinion polls I can foresee a split in the medium, or even quite possibly short term.
The world is commencing one of its periodic upheavals.
Hi folks hope all are well.
Yes I share the same view Daniele, I’m puzzled why HMG is planning and implementing projects before the outcome of any independence referendum. Why not commence projects in other parts of the UK just in case of a yes vote ? Then again the SNP would be the first to complain if there was no investment in Scotland, we have already had a ridiculous SNP fuss over the claim of no Royal Navy ships in Scotland.
Cheers
George
George, whether you or I or anyone else likes it, there’s a big old lump stuck at the top of England and its still part of the UK. Its also closer to Norway and the North Atlantic.
We just had a referendum. In Scotland the SNP lives and breaths by a simmering neverendum.
I have probably almost uniquely experienced the hate, corruption, trickery and cruelty of the SNP mentality.
“I have probably almost uniquely experienced the hate, corruption, trickery and cruelty of the SNP mentality.”
Sorry mate, that sounds incredibly narcissistic.
Whether it in Scotland, England or anywhere else, there can be a crappy attitude to others. “almost uniquely experienced….” LOL.
Simple answer is moving work to other parts of the UK would just give the SNP more ammo.
In 2020 the main threats are now south rather than north and most of our ships are progressively either healing to the gulf or to asia, so improving bases to the south is probably more strategically useful at this stage.
Hi folks hope all are well.
Yes that’s true steve about SNP and giving them more to complain about. As mentioned, we have already had the ridiculous claim of no Royal Navy warships in Scotland from the SNP. No matter what HMG do, SNP just complain.
Of course the other angle is for the government to have a good publicity campaign of how much is being invested in Scotland being part of the UK.
Cheers
George
In the glens lol
bleak.
Is next door Loch Scriven still operational?
Loch Striven is a NATO POL depot, yes AFAIK still in use.
Is this part of or distinct to Coulport and Faslane? I don’t know this area at all and assume the whole area is MoD land?
Separate location, three different sites with some distance between them, especially by road on the winter.
Because this is not nuclear is there a possibility of this staying in use if Scotland goes independent?
There is always a possibility, but do we as a nation want one of our main facilities located outside territories controlled by ourselves, since independent scotland could easily play silly git over it to get what they want on other topics, very much like Spain does with Gib.
“We are delighted to be delivering [insert small project that might not overrun].. key ….support….defence…. cost….. zzzzzzz”
Looking at lusty in the top picture and the Maned GPMG hanging of the back of her Just shows how absolutely massive HMS Queen Elizabeth is and how small lusty really was.
Russian interference on behalf of the Scottish Independence cause can only be for one thing-to weaken the UK and its constituents in every facet-militarily, politically and socially. I would hope that most Scots, in fact most Brits, would realise this and see that we really are much better together.
Although what you say is true from a Russian perspective, Geoff, I think we risk demeaning all our peoples by thinking that undue influence came from them. Besides, if we have to, we’ll all of us take them on if they want to mix it.
Agree with what you say Gavin and btw, although I am a Unionist I recognise that Scottish Independence is a legitimate aspiration. From my side I would hope that a proper case for the Union would however convince most people that the United kingdom is something to cherish and a Kingdom that can accommodate the various identities that exist therein. My point though is that inasmuch as Russia has meddled in the process then it can never be anything but malicious in intent and harmful to all the peoples of Britain and Ireland. That in itself implies that they want… Read more »