Two new floating docks are being planned for submarines at naval bases on the Clyde.
The ship lift at Faslane and explosives handling jetty at Coulport (above) were both built as floating docks to accommodate Vanguard submarines which carry Trident nuclear missiles.
They were completed in the 1990s, with an estimated total cost of £1.7bn, in a project which engineers said rivalled the Channel Tunnel for complexity.
But the replacement Dreadnought-class boats, due to enter service in the early 2030s, will be larger than the current vessels, with a length of 153.6 metres compared to 150 and weighing 17,200 tonnes rather than 15,900.
The announcement follows last month’s news, revealed here, that more than 1,000 new cabins are planned at Faslane, as well as many buildings which were ‘nearing the end of their serviceable life’ having to be replaced.
It comes after Friday’s announcement by Babcock that it had signed a £750m contract with the MoD to deliver ‘future submarine capability’ infrastructure at Devonport.
And it could explain the mysterious proposals for ‘Structures 22 and 23’ which were advertised last month without any indication of what they were.
On Tuesday the MoD published an early engagement notice stating that following completion of a period of market engagement with industry, it intended to formally start procurement for the Additional Fleet Time Docking Capability (AFTDC) programme.
It added that the purpose of the Prior Information Notice (PIN) was ‘to invite industry to participate in market engagement events’ with by the AFTDC joint project team.
A virtual briefing for industry groups is planned for December 7, with planned construction work including floating docks, sea walls and jetties.
The announcement adds: “The authority is looking to engage with suppliers that have the capability to design and build significant elements of the floating docks and associated infrastructure to participate in the market engagement stage of the AFTDC programme.”
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