Babcock has successfully built and delivered the 18th Tamar
class lifeboat to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI),
marking the completion of the contract awarded to the company in
2007. Babcock is now building a further nine Tamar class lifeboats
under a contract extension awarded last year (2009). A total of 27
Tamars will be delivered by 2013.
The Tamar class lifeboats are built by Babcock at its Devonport
Royal Dockyard facility, on a rolling production line. Each boat
takes 11 months to build, from initial hull delivery to completion
of sea trials, with a new boat starting every 12 weeks, and up to
four in progress at any one time.
Babcock has implemented a number of initiatives to maximise
production efficiency, resulting in production time reductions of
some 68% to date since the first build in 2005, and continuing to
reduce. Lean production methods and the introduction of a
continuous learning programme has minimised bottlenecks and
increased efficiency. A number of further improvement initiatives
are being evaluated, with a view to saving an additional 10-12% in
production times over the next 12 months.
The company also continues to invest in production improvements
at its Devonport site, with a new pontoon access to be built within
the next 12 months which will provide on-site facilities for
supporting boats on trials. Additional investments have included
improved craneage facilities in the boathouse.
The 16 metre Tamar class slipway-launched lifeboat, originally
developed by RNLI designers with Babcock, represented a major step
forward in lifeboat design. The first prototype was built at
Devonport.
The Tamar class is designed for faster response times, and to
give greater crew protection. With a range of 250 miles, its top
speed of 25 knots from two 1,000 BHP diesel engines means
casualties at sea can be reached more quickly and efficiently. The
boats boast numerous innovative features. They are equipped with
the latest advanced computer technology giving crews operational
information at the touch of a button during rescue missions, and
allowing remote management of many of the lifeboat's functions,
while safety features include an advanced ergonomically-designed
crew seat and specialist suspension characteristics.
Babcock Managing Director Devonport Phil Jones commented: "We
are delighted to have successfully delivered 18 of the contracted
27 Tamar class lifeboats to the RNLI, with a proven track record in
delivering these on-schedule and to a high quality standard, while
continuing to improve and optimise production efficiency."