Early completion of carrier crew accommodation is celebrated
New modular accommodation to house sailors working on the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier has been completed by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).
Carrier crew member ABWS Elise Broughton. Crown Copyright. Photo: POA(Phot) Owen Cooban. All rights reserved
A total of 302 cabins are now ready to be occupied by service personnel based at Rosyth.
The 2 future aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, are currently being built and fitted out in Rosyth. Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is supporting the carrier programme by providing site security, messing and recreational facilities and accommodation for the carrier’s crew.
Before the accommodation project commenced the site had only 422 suitable bed spaces, which DIO calculated was 302 fewer than needed. The first phase of the work, a total of 36 cabins, was handed over on schedule in August 2015. This was followed by further phases which completed in November and December 2015.
The last units were handed over 3 weeks ahead of schedule ready to welcome members of the carrier crew.
DIO Head of Establishment Peter Bush said:
I am delighted at the completion of this project and that we are able to offer the crew of the carrier this great accommodation which fits their needs.
These new modular cabins were the best choice for the job as they can be set up quickly and considerably more cheaply than building new accommodation from scratch in the traditional way and can be removed on completion of HMS Prince of Wales.
It also allows the sailors to live close to the ship which makes a big difference to them.
Speaking after the handover of the first phase of the accommodation in August, Capt Simon Petitt, Senior Naval Officer of HMS Queen Elizabeth said:
The accommodation is both modern and practical, and more importantly offers a real sense of home comforts for our sailors who are looking forward to moving in and being in one location so that we are all of one company.
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon visited the new accommodation last month to meet service personnel and DIO staff who have been working on the project.