Workers and apprentices at Cammell Laird shipyard in Birkenhead complete fabrication of ‘mega bock’ for two new Royal Navy Type 26 frigates. Tony McDonough reports

Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird has achieved its latest milestone in the Royal Navy Type 26 frigate programme build.

Workers and apprentices at the yard have successfully completed the fabrication of key structural components for Ship 4 HMS Birmingham and Ship 3 HMS Belfast.

Being delivered in partnership with  BAE Systems, the Type 26 programme will provide the Royal Navy with the most advanced anti-submarine warfare capability available. Laird, part of the APCL Group, was chosen by BAE to construct units for the City Class ships.

HMS Birmingham’s mega consolidated double bottom block, a crucial part of Ship 4, has been completed, weighing approximately 1,000 tonnes. It took 21 months to build and was loaded out via a barge from the wet basin at Cammell Laird to BAE Systems’ Govan Shipyard, where it will be integrated into the larger ship structure.

This mega block has been fitted with 8,437 secondary structural items, including pipes, ladders, access walkways, and seats for ship equipment.

Alongside the mega block, Ship 3 HMS Belfast’s upper units have also been completed. This includes two double-stacked units and four single units. These components have also been transported using a coaster to Glasgow for further assembly.

Eight upper units of Ship 3 have incorporated 3,858 secondary structure elements, ensuring their readiness for integration into the larger framework.

Throughout the build, a significant number of APCL Cammell Laird’s apprentices have played an important role in the construction process. 

This includes pipe fitting apprentices, plating, welding, project management, and rigging apprentices. All of whom are learning their trade on projects of national importance.

On Monday, LBN reported that Cammell Laird is to take the lead on a project that could see the UK become a world leader in the building of support vessels for offshore wind farms.

Global offshore wind capacity is expected to grow to more than 850GW by 2050. This will require the construction of a new fleet of low carbon service operation vessels (SOVs). It is estimated the market could be worth about £35bn.

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This insight comes from the Government’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. In partnership with the National Shipbuilding Office and The Crown Estate, has appointed Cammell Laird in Birkenhead to carry out a detailed analysis of the SOV market.