Displaying items by tag: UK MoD Pledge

22nd October 2020

UK Shipyard that Built 'Beckett' Series for Irish Navy Given Warship Pledge at H&W Appledore

A UK Shipyard previously owned by Babcock Marine which built a quartet of 'Beckett' class OPV90's for the Irish Naval Service has been given a British MoD pledge to build a trio of warships creating 600 jobs.

A UK shipyard that built a quartet of 'Beckett' class OPV's for the Irish Naval Service has been given a British Ministry of Defence pledge to build three warships which has been hailed as good news for Appledore Shipyard in north Devon.

The shipyard has been actively seeking skilled boat builders after being bought by new operators Infrastrata, the asset management firm behind Harland & Wolff.

Tim Jones, chairman of the Appledore Taskforce and the South West Business Council, said if Appledore was successful in bidding for the work, it could see the ship yard back to full strength.

He said: "During the run up to the purchase of the Yard by InfraStrata, discussions took place with Senior officials in Whitehall, which gave encouragement to the prospect that MoD work would be directed to the Yard.

For much on the development BusinessLive reports.

Afloat adds asides the 'Beckett' OPV90 quartet (see photo caption), an earlier version in the form of the 'Roisin' OPV80 class pair were also built for the Naval Service at the south-west English shipyard though when owned by Appledore Shipbuilders.

Published in Shipyards

Tagged under

About the Watersports Inclusion Games

The Watersports Inclusion Games are an award-winning event organised by Irish Sailing with partners from across the watersports sector, that enable people of all abilities from the physical, sensory, intellectual and learning spectrums to take to the water to participate in a wide range of water activities.

More than 250 people with physical, sensory, intellectual and learning disabilities typically take part in the weekend's events.

Participants will have the opportunity to try more sports than ever before, with an expanded range including sailing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding, rowing, surfing, water skiing and powerboating all on offer.

The Games typically take place each August.

The organisers of the Games want to let people of all abilities know that there are multiple watersports available to them, and to encourage more people from all backgrounds to get involved and out on the water regardless of ability. They aim to highlight that any barriers faced by people with disabilities can be eliminated.

There are social, health and wellness benefits associated with sailing and all watersports. These include improved muscle strength and endurance, improved cardiovascular fitness and increased agility, enhanced spatial awareness, greater mental wellness through the balancing of serotonin levels and the lowering of stress levels, improved concentration and the forging of positive relationships.