New lights will guide the way for Queen Elizabeth Class carriers
Work on new lights in Portsmouth harbour nears completion to help guide the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers.
One of the navigational aids prior to being installed. [Crown Copyright/MOD2016].
Work on new lights that will guide the Queen Elizabeth Class carriers safely into Portsmouth harbour is nearing completion as the top sections of the structures are put in place.
皇冠体育app final construction stage involves lifting the superstructures onto the pile foundations driven earlier in the year.
皇冠体育app 14 steel structures, which will rise 30 metres from the seabed, provide a platform for the lights that will be used to precisely position the 2 new aircraft carriers, the first of which will arrive at the city鈥檚 naval base in spring next year.
Each weighs around 22 tonnes and is being lifted into place using a 350 tonne crane barge. 皇冠体育app lights are powered by a combination of solar panels and batteries and will only be lit when the carriers are either approaching or leaving their berths at Portsmouth. 皇冠体育app infographic shows where the light will be placed.
One of the navigational aids in situ. [VolkerWessels UK, 2016]. All rights reserved.
皇冠体育app navigation light towers are being installed as part of a 拢34 million package of infrastructure work being delivered on behalf of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) by VolkerStevin to support the new carriers.
Philip Wise, DIO鈥檚 Principal Project Manager, said:
皇冠体育app navigation lights are essential to ensure the safe passage of the carriers into the naval base at Portsmouth. 皇冠体育app work to install them represents a significant step forward in our preparations for the arrival of the 2 new ships which will be the largest ever constructed for the Royal Navy.
Gerrit Smit, project manager for VolkerStevin, added:
皇冠体育app installation of the navigational aids is another key milestone on this exciting project. 皇冠体育app works are associated with challenges such as working in a busy harbour environment. Due to close collaboration with the Queens Harbour Master, the ferry operators and other stakeholders, we are ensuring safe passage as well as a safe delivery of the construction works.
In total around 拢100 million is being spent by the Ministry of Defence to ready the base the carriers, the biggest and most powerful ships in the Royal Navy鈥檚 history. At 280 metres, the HMS Queen Elizabeth is longer than the Houses of Parliament (265 metres). And its length is greater than the height of the Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth (170 metres).
Under its contract VolkerStevin is also working to rebuild the Middle Slip jetty to accommodate the ships and providing a dedicated high voltage electrical supply to power the carriers.
DIO also awarded a contract to Boskalis Westminster Ltd to dredge the harbour to make it wide and deep enough for the ships.