Babcock has successfully competed the first UK Border Agency
vessel refit under a five year support contract won by the company
earlier this year.
Babcock was awarded the contract by the UK Border Agency in June
2011, to provide through-life maintenance and support for the
Agency's fleet of five patrol boats (known as 'cutters'); Sentinel,
Searcher, Seeker, Vigilant and Valiant. Under the contract
each ship will undergo a docking period every two years and annual
Life Saving Appliances (LSA) periods, taking one week,
alongside.
The first docking period under this contract was recently
completed by Babcock on HM Cutter Sentinel, the oldest of the fleet
(commissioned in 1993), at the company's Rosyth dockyard.
This one month docking period included overhaul of both main
engines; removal of the bow thrust system for overhaul; removal of
both shafts and renewal of the shaft bearings; renewal of the
machinery control system; upgrade of the fire alarm system;
removal, inspection and testing of life saving equipment;
structural survey including repairs; and painting of the entire
vessel. Sentinel is now undergoing a period of basin and sea
trials before returning to operational duty.
Babcock Operations Manager Charlie Forrester commented: "Babcock
is known for its work with the MoD and Royal Navy on the UK's
warships, and we are delighted to have been able to apply our
considerable experience in through-life support and maintenance of
surface ships to successfully complete the first refit under this
new contract for the UK Border Agency. The successful
undertaking of the Sentinel docking period shows that Babcock at
Rosyth has the skillsets and facilities required to work in the
commercial environment and meet the customer's timescales whilst
managing the additional growth."
Doug McLellan, Assistant Director, UK Border Agency Maritime
& Aviation Operations, said: "This is our first refit
package under our new contract with Babcock and the outcome bodes
very well for the future. Although our cutters are smaller
than most of the ships Babcock is used to working with, they
present many challenges not least of which is the very short period
available for the yard to complete a comprehensive package of work.
Babcock has risen to these challenges returning HMC Sentinel
to service on time and in very good order and their flexible and
willing approach has drawn favourable feedback from our crews."