Work is underway on the new £22m contract to support and provide maintenance to the Royal Navy’s River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), BAE Systems said in a press release.
Following a successful track record of supporting these Portsmouth based ships for over a decade and after a competitive tender process, BAE Systems was awarded the contract in September, guaranteeing the work for the next five years.
The maintenance contract will provide the Royal Navy with 320 operationally available days per ship per year. This will enable the ships to remain at sea as much as possible to carry out their primary roles of fishery protection, environmental protection, search and rescue and maritime security.
The success of these arrangements will be based on a strong partnering relationship between BAE Systems, Ship’s Staff, the MOD, and A&P Group who play a key role in the maintenance of the ships.
A similar solution is currently used to support two Royal Navy hydrographic vessels, HMS Echo and HMS Enterprise, as well as HMS Clyde based in the Falkland Islands.
Richard Dingley, Fleet Services Director, BAE Systems Maritime Services said: “This contract award is recognition that our support of the River Class OPVs will be a value for money service.
“The Royal Navy can be assured that the high ship availability we have achieved over the last ten years will continue. I am delighted that we have won the contract in competition to deliver this highly regarded service.”
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