A new fleet of 24 support vessels, built by Damen Shipyards under an £850 million afloat services contract, is set to be allocated across the Royal Navy’s three principal operating bases, with the majority heading to HMNB Devonport.
The vessels, delivered as part of a contract operated by Serco Maritime on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, include tugs, pilot boats, passenger vessels and barges, and are designed to replace ageing auxiliary craft that have supported fleet operations at the UK’s main naval bases for many years.
Base Allocations
Of the 24 vessels, 16 will be stationed at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth, making it by far the largest recipient of the new fleet. Three vessels will be allocated to HMNB Clyde in Scotland, home to the UK’s nuclear submarine force. HMNB Portsmouth will receive five of the new support vessels, though it should be noted that the new tug boats are not permanently based there- they can, however, be temporarily reassigned to Portsmouth when operationally required.
Replacing an Ageing Fleet
The contract represents one of the most significant investments in Royal Navy auxiliary infrastructure in recent years. The vessels play a critical but often unseen role in naval operations, manoeuvring warships in and out of harbour, ferrying personnel, and providing logistical support to the fleet at its home bases.
Damen Shipyards, the Dutch shipbuilding group with an extensive track record of delivering naval and government vessels worldwide, was selected to manufacture the full batch of craft. The breadth of the order, spanning multiple vessel types across three bases, underlines the scale of the renewal programme underway across the Royal Navy’s support infrastructure.
The Serco Maritime contract, worth £850 million, covers the provision and operation of afloat support services to the MoD, with the new vessels forming the backbone of that capability for the years ahead.
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