‘Tedworth’ returns
The 15-metre dive support vessel ‘Tedworth’, funded by the Ministry of Defence, will be used for underwater maintenance, repairs and inspections on Royal Navy vessels and installations including waterfront jetties in the UK naval harbour of Portsmouth.
Built by Meercat Workboats at Portchester, the vessel replaces the 30-year-old Hamble Guardian. It is fitted with a crane capable of lifting 790kg and can carry up to seven crew.
The name Tedworth has not been associated with the Royal Navy since the 1940s when HMS Tedworth was scrapped. Launched as a minesweeper in 1917, she was refitted as a dive vessel in 1923 and served throughout the Second World War.
She served as a trials vessel for divers testing a new, safer procedure of surface decompression which became known as the Tedworth Method and is still used today.
Tedworth will be crewed by specialist divers from BAE Systems. Among them is Steve Coleman who has been working on the vessel for seven days. He said: “The difference is huge. Tedworth is far more stable, there is far better vision from the wheelhouse and there is so much more room.”
As well as supporting divers working beneath RN ships, Tedworth will occasionally work outside of the naval base in The Solent to maintain navigational aids.
By Jake Frith
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