News Mar 30, 2021

Jetty Rebuild for Royal Navy Earns Sustainability Accolade from UK Ministry of Defence

Recognizing outstanding conservation and sustainability efforts across the MOD estate.

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Royal Navy aircraft carriers in a port

Jacobs has received the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) highest sustainability accolade for its work on the rebuild of home berths for the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers.

Alongside the Royal Navy, Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and VolkerStevin, Jacobs won the Sustainable Construction category of the 2020 Sanctuary Awards for the project to reconstruct the Princess Royal and Victory Jetties for HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales. 

The annual Sanctuary Awards recognize outstanding conservation and sustainability efforts across the MOD estate.

Before work began, the Jacobs team carried out a study to determine whether the jetties, which were an assortment of numerous legacy jetty modifications and extensions, needed a complete rebuild or a local rebuild plus repair and maintenance. We recommended the latter, more sustainable approach after finding that parts of the jetties, although between 40 and 100 years old, were in good condition.

Other sustainable features of the design included the use of pre-cast units, which reduced the number of heavy goods vehicles deliveries; cathodic protection, which cuts down on below-deck maintenance; and telemetry systems for remote monitoring of the navigational aids.

Jacobs provided design and project management services to DIO and also led design services and design/ construction liaison for the principal contractor for both the Princess Royal and Victory Jetties, VolkerStevin.

Jacobs Vice President Defence & Security Justin Goldberg said: “We are helping to tackle some of the U.K.’s most complex challenges to make the future better – supporting projects with outcomes that safeguard the environment and improve our security and resiliency. Restoring these legacy facilities to handle the U.K.’s new, and largest ever, aircraft carriers presented some unique challenges to overcome. The success of the project is a testament to our collaborative working relationships and drive to integrate sustainable solutions with environmental purpose and successful delivery outcomes.”

Queen Elizabeth jetty docked, image copyright Royal Navy

On behalf of  DIO, Jacobs also worked alongside contractor VolkerStevin to deliver vital infrastructure upgrades to the Northern Ammunition Jetty in Glen Mallan in Scotland. This work enabled HMS Queen Elizabeth, the Royal Navy's flagship, to berth in Glen Mallan for the first time as part of preparations for her first operational deployment.

The upgrades included new navigational aids to ensure safe passage through the confined waterway in Loch Long, two new modular fender spacer units that move with the tide to prevent the aircraft carrier flight deck from coming into contact with the jetty and new dolphin mooring points for secure berthing of vessels.

Main image: Crown Copyright/Ministry of Defence, small image courtesy of Royal Navy.