Cammell Laird completes £9.1m naval ship refit

Jun 23 2009 By Alistair Houghton

Resurgent Merseyside shipyard Cammell Laird has completed the £9.1m refit of a naval supply ship that was built in the yard almost 30 years ago.

The company completed the work on Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship Bayleaf as part of a 25-year £180m maintenance contract with the Ministry of Defence to maintain 11 ships in the RFA fleet.

If performance targets are met, Cammell Laird’s contract will be extended for another 25 years.  That work could be worth up to £1bn to the yard, which says its relationship with the MoD gets stronger with every ship that gets fitted out.

Chief executive John Syvret said: “The aim of the contract is for the shipyard to develop a long- term, detailed understanding of the RFA flotilla.

“By getting to know the RFA ships in depth, and by developing a close working relationship with the RFA and the MoD, we can deliver a more comprehensive, more efficient and ultimately more bespoke service. We believe that this helps us to deliver better value for money for the taxpayer.

“This was a terrific refit to work on and we very much look forward to seeing the RFA Bayleaf here again at the shipyard and maintaining her around the world.”

The work on RFA Bayleaf included an overhaul of the main engine and generator and a full upgrade of accommodation which was stripped out and refurbished. More than 150 staff worked on the refit over seven months.

Cammell Laird managing director Linton Roberts said: “This was a complex military refit which required considerable skills and expertise to deliver.

“On a historic note, it is always pleasing to dock a vessel built at this shipyard. After 27 successful years of service, Bayleaf, along with her sister ship, Orangeleaf, are constant reminders of the high quality vessels produced at this yard in the past.

“It is pleasing that the specialist skills that built Bayleaf still survive and prosper within our workforce – and, with 50 apprentices in training, we are ensuring that this proud tradition continues far into the future.”

Captain Jim Collins, of the MoD’s Defence Equipment and Support service, said: “RFA Bayleaf performs a demanding role as the large amount of fuel she carries and delivers around the world is crucial to front line military operations.

“I know the ship’s company are very pleased with the work done, and are already preparing to return to operational duties.”