Meercat for naval dockyard
UK boatbuilder Meercat Workboats has announced new order from global defence, aerospace and security company BAE Systems for a bespoke 15m dive support vessel.
The vessel will be used in Portsmouth Dockyard for subsea maintenance, repairs and inspections on Royal Naval vessels and installations, including maintenance support to waterfront jetties, the Type 45 Destroyers and the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carriers when they arrive in Portsmouth in 2017.
The new workboat will include a twin Doosan L136Ti engine with a 33Kva generator and a three-phase compressor. An AMCO-VEBA crane capable of lifting 790kg at a very generous 14.1 metres, and full hydraulic hand tool capability is powered by a separate JCB hydraulic engine.
The dedicated dive room has a fully integrated Dive X high pressure diving system panel, and full communications capabilities including video support.
James Lewis, Operations Director at Meercat Workboats, said: “The design brief called for a manoeuvrable vessel, with a wheel-house, messroom, designated dive room, and a crane.
We are making swift progress on the dive support vessel and expect to finish on schedule and on budget.
By Jake Frith
