More beds completed for carrier crew
The second phase of innovative new modular accommodation for sailors working on the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier has been completed by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).
Pictured left to right, DIO Head of Establishment Peter Bush, Engineering Technician Lorna Hay, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon meeting members of the Carrier crew living in temporary accommodation at MOD Caledonia. Photo: John Linton, Aircraft Carrier Alliance. All rights reserved.
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. DIO runs MOD Caledonia and is supporting the carrier programme by providing site security, messing and recreational facilities, and accommodation for the carrier’s crew.
Before the project commenced, MOD Caledonia had 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 to MOD Caledonia on schedule in August and the latest phase of 79 cabins is now complete.
The completion of the cabins comes shortly after a visit to MOD Caledonia by the Defence Secretary Michaell Fallon, during which he toured the accommodation and met personnel using the new rooms.
DIO Head of Establishment Peter Bush said:
These new modular cabins were the best choice as they can be set up quickly and considerably more cheaply than building new accommodation from scratch in the traditional way. I know the sailors really appreciate living so close to the ship as well, which makes things much easier for them.
Work is now progressing on the remainder of the units which are expected to be occupied by February 2016.