Jetty completed for HMS Prince of Wales

Work has been completed on the new jetty for the Royal Navy's second aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales.

HM Naval Base Portsmouth will now be able to berth both Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers side-by-side in a £30million investment to ensure the modernisation of the historic base.

Each carrier has a second layer of security on the jetty, their own dedicated power source and a host of new infrastructure and installation works including new walkways, relocated vehicle bridges and new quick release mooring pulleys.

Victory jetty was officially opened by Penny Connell, the wife of Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Aircraft, Amphibious Capability and Carriers) Rear Admiral Martin Connell. Both were was given a tour of the new jetty and the substation that will provide them with off-grid power.

"It is therefore only right that we meet that modernisation of our fleet with the modernisation of our supporting infrastructure and both Victory Jetty and Princess Royal Jetty now absolutely meet that demand." Said Naval Base Commander Commodore JJ Bailey. 

HMS Prince of Wales is currently on her contractor sea trials and is due to arrive in the naval base before the end of the year. Her sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth is carrying out her second phase of flying trials with the F-35 Lightning jets off the coast of American and is due home by Christmas.

Colin Efford, Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s QEC Project Manager, said: “It’s been a great project to work on, and everyone pulling together to share their expertise and best practice from the Princess Royal Jetty project has helped us complete ahead of programme and within budget.”