The Royal Navy say that Portsmouth Naval Base has undertaken a programme of infrastructure upgrades ahead of the arrival of the UK’s second Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales.

In an article titled ‘Naval base ready for the nation’s two supercarriers‘, Captain of the Base, Captain David George said:

“Quite rightly the vast bulk of the preparatory work is physical in nature, but the arrival of the second carrier marks a step change in operational output.”

According to a news release:

“Chief among the changes for the arrival of HMS Prince of Wales was a jetty suitable to accommodate her. Both carriers may need to be harboured at any one time so a second jetty in addition to the Princess Royal Jetty built for HMS Queen Elizabeth was needed.

As a result, Portsmouth Naval Base’s Victory Jetty, built in the late 1990’s, has been strengthened and modernised at a cost of £30 million. This included additional piling to take the increased berthing loads, galvanic protection of the existing structure to extend its life and a pumping system to lift the fresh water required for up to 1600 crew.

A big part of the project has been providing the high voltage electrical system to provide shore power, including large conversion machinery and a massive hydraulic boom to feed the power to the carrier. With limited power capacity on Portsea Island, the power to light, heat and run machinery when this extra small town comes alongside is to come from the base’s new Combined Heat and Power plant (CHP).

This is a standalone energy source to provide off-grid sustainable energy for the base. The £13 million CHP plant produces electricity from mains gas and captures the heat generated for use, reducing the Naval Base’s carbon footprint. At its peak, the CHP can produce 13.5 MW of power, enough to power between 18,000 and 25,000 homes.”

Captain Iain Greenlees, team leader of the carrier infrastructure programme since 2009 said:

“These projects bring to a close a historic period of development for the base, covering 8 years of environmental and costs assessment and 6 years of construction.  Delivering this programme to time and cost has only been possible by MOD and large teams of industry partners working closely together, with the support of the city and harbour users, to get the base ready to support these fabulous ships for the next 50 years.”

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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james
james
4 years ago

Andy, “which way up” and on “the Clyde”. You must be referring to the now secret and never mentioned and deleted records fiasco of the two bow sections of the first Astute submarine. Yes?

Trevor
Trevor
4 years ago

Just as a point, the Dreadnought was 18,000 tons which is a lot smaller than a QE carrier. So 1 year to lay and launch is broadly proportional…

Alan Reid
Alan Reid
4 years ago

Hi Andy, Any successful shipyard needs a regular customer: H&W – White Star, John Brown’s – Cunard, Barrow-in-Furness – Royal Navy submarine orders.
By the way, with the news that Audacious won’t be handed over to the Royal Navy until 2021 – that means only four boats delivered to the client in a programme of well over 20 years. I think you’ve achieved your quest of discovering “the most unproductive yard in the world”!
Blimey, turns out it wasn’t on the Clyde after all!

Airborne
Airborne
4 years ago
Reply to  Alan Reid

With Barrow it’s all about streeeeeeechting out those contracts and rake in as much spondoolies as humanly possible, while being the only location able to build subs, and knowing it!

Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon
4 years ago
Reply to  Alan Reid

Understand that Barrow is approaching it’s goal of having 10,000 staff on that somewhat small site.

The Woman From Delmonte
The Woman From Delmonte
4 years ago

Andy we get it your one of them little englanders and don’t like our Scots cousins. You really need to take your brain out of your ass The navy doesn’t need the Clyde ? Really ? Where do you think they are going locate the Dreadnaught nuclear subs then? If you knew anything about the navy then you’d be more than aware there are no other suitable sites anywhere else in the UK. So I think you will find the navy does need the Clyde .

Airborne
Airborne
4 years ago

Why use the little England’s comment? Maybe Andy is from Pompey and wants industry to be continued/restarted there. Maybe Andy isn’t totally aware of Naval locations/requirements/basing but no need to start yapping about little Englander chuff. Any please define the term little Englander as I do hear it used in abusive terms but I find it intriguing people’s various meaning?

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
4 years ago
Reply to  Airborne

To be fair “andy reeves” has been commenting for years with a load of tosh about this and that, although not exclusive, you have to question the brain cell capacity of any man who does not use a capital letter for his own name And the “little Englander”comment is actually a common phrase now used in our union, which is a union of four countries, to describe a certain people in the largest of those four countries, who have a superiority complex towards the other three, as a proud Englishman i do not use it myself but i certainly can… Read more »

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

A reasonable explanation of the term! I don’t use ‘little Englander’ either….having always found the term ‘petty nationalist’ more appropriate. By the way, isn’t Englander a German expression? You know the one usually coupled with ‘for you, ze war is over’.

Airborne
Airborne
4 years ago
Reply to  SoleSurvivor

I dont realy follow andy reeves posts, if i am honest, just a bit suprised because someone mentions work at the Clyde, he gets accused of being a little Englander. Could he be welsh maybe? Possibly Northern Irish? Could he be a chap from one of our commonwealth countries maybe? I just asked as I have heard the term numerous times, and always intrigued in what contex people like to throw it about. As a proud Englishman myself, I find it rather churlish and childish that it gets thrown into the equation, by people using presumption, and we know prsumtion… Read more »

The Artist Formerly known as Los Pollos chicken
The Artist Formerly known as Los Pollos chicken
4 years ago
Reply to  Airborne

To be fair man , this Andy character seems to have a bee in his bonnet about Scotland (which is an equal partner in this glorious union) having any work put its way with regards ship building or any other infrastructure. The little englander comment is to my mind generic it’s like when we Scots refer to someone as a baw bag .As the most hardcore Scotsman wearing a Union Jack 3 piece suit in this room I’m entirely at ease with the term and the sentiments shown

whlgrubber
whlgrubber
4 years ago

The Navy looked at basing the nuclear subs at PORTLAND in the 60s, but it would have taken too long to transit to deep atlantic waters.

Gunbuster
Gunbuster
4 years ago

Portland, Falmouth, Devonport ( least preferred) and Milford Haven have all been looked at and considered should the SNP declare UDI !!

Alan Reid
Alan Reid
4 years ago
Reply to  Gunbuster

Hi Gunbuster, To be fair, the SNP leadership is rather sensible and has always gone down the constitutional route. And indeed, reaffirmed so at its recent party conference.
The SNP runs a minority administration in Edinburgh, the majority of Scots do not vote for the party. As a single issue party, it’s recent electoral success is based on the “Unionist vote” in Scotland being split between the three main parties.
A declaration of UDI is extremely unlikely.
However, if it does well at the General Election, the SNP will certainly ask Westminster to authorise another independence referendum.

Gavin Gordon
Gavin Gordon
4 years ago
Reply to  Alan Reid

It seems to me that the legal framework agreements reached prior to a referendum being held should be honoured (yes – to state the bleeding obvious to anyone who is not a politician, perhaps). To that end both the IndyRef and BrexitRef conformed to the same assessment that they were a generational occurrence. Reasonable enough for such profound constitutional events. Thus, with regard to re-running either; that should be a No for the foreseeable future. I don’t think that there are many Brits of any political persuasion who do not believe that, for both Westminster or the SNP, the sole… Read more »

Russ
Russ
4 years ago

wrong and unnecessarily insulting you are one of those types who can’t stand anyone having a different opinion to yours. And what’s wrong with Portsmouth having a share of the shipbuilding works. You madam are a muppet.

Steve Salt
Steve Salt
4 years ago

Glad you’ve finally found the caps lock button ????

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve Salt

I’m sure it is only temporary!

SoleSurvivor
SoleSurvivor
4 years ago

lol

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve Salt

Andy’s has already explained that his caps lock button is bent over at a funny angle!. I have commiserated with him as I have been similarly afflicted over the years. Just keep taking the tablets!

Steve Salt
Steve Salt
4 years ago
Reply to  Herodotus

LOL Herodotus, and heres me thinking hes just really really ANGRY !!!!

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Steve Salt

It’s true Steve…just ask him!

Cymbeline
Cymbeline
4 years ago

I seem to remember going on Otter at Chatham back in the late 60’s when I was in the Sea Cadets, must have been Navy Day.

Julian
Julian
4 years ago

When was that main photo taken? I must have missed that because I didn’t know there was one of QE and PoW in the same shot. I thought QE was long gone before PoW was floated out. Was that QE doing a pit stop during sea trials while PoW was still in the final stages of fit out (also at the stage of applying the thermal deck coating by the look of the coverings on the deck)?

Lusty
Lusty
4 years ago
Reply to  Julian

QE popped back up to Rosyth earlier in the year for a 6 week maintenance period in drydock back in April/May.

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

Funny to think of a 65,000 ton ship ‘popping’ anywhere!

Lusty
Lusty
4 years ago
Reply to  Herodotus

I see what you mean!

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

Somebody came up with the amount of fuel QE would use just in moving through its own length…astonishing!

Lusty
Lusty
4 years ago
Reply to  Herodotus

But I’ll say one thing, she makes a stupendous sight when she does move! Well, she’s a beautiful ship when she’s alongside. I really can’t wait to see a photo of them at sea together.

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

Yeah and fully armed and crewed and cannons and all Phalanx fitted. Beautiful sight.

Julian
Julian
4 years ago
Reply to  Cam

Yeah. Both carriers out in open ocean in the same shot would be the biggie, hopefully with multiple T45, T23 and support ship(s) in shot too. If an Astute could make its presence known by “doing a Stingray” in the background that would make it perfect – https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/gerryanderson/images/3/37/Stingray_jump.png/revision/latest?cb=20190216122029

Thanks for the info on the Rosyth return earlier this year Lusty.

Lusty
Lusty
4 years ago
Reply to  Julian

I agree! You’re welcome.

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Julian

Excellent…I used to love Stingray as a kid. I thought the sub-sea Titans were fab. Their fish submarine was entirely believable and much more interesting than Stingray. I tried endlessly to imitate the fish language of the ‘Aquaphibians’ with not much success….

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Herodotus

An exciting episode of Stingray! Does anyone agree that the Aquaphibians bear a remarkable resemblance to the leader of the DUP?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV-QV_zzIbo

Julian
Julian
4 years ago
Reply to  Herodotus

Brilliant! I can definitely see what you mean re Arlene Foster.

I also just noticed the early use of wireless headphones. Bluetooth 1.0? They must have known even back then that Apple was going to drop the 3.5mm headphone jack from the latest iPhones – Gerry & Sylvia Anderson were clever people.

Herodotus
4 years ago
Reply to  Julian

The Andersons were wonderfully creative and a huge part of my entertainment as a child…the really interesting one was Space Patrol because of the realistic science. Although this was produced by someone that had worked for the Andersons!

whlgrubber
whlgrubber
4 years ago

i just hope they have the T26 plans available just in case the Scots declare independance.

Lusty
Lusty
4 years ago

If my memory serves me correctly, discounting block sections, wasn’t the last warship built in an operational naval dockyard HMS Clyde, in Portsmouth?

Cam
Cam
4 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

Yeas your right it was Clyde, But is she a warship?

Cam
Cam
4 years ago

50 years life of the carriers! So we Will we be using STOVl for the next 50 years, I can’t see that happening.

Dougie
Dougie
4 years ago

A
Why illustrate an article about Portsmouth Dockyard with a photograph of Rosyth?