AEUK awards contract to Diverse Marine

Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) has awarded a contract to Cowes-based shipyard, Diverse Marine, to produce three SEA class Passenger Transfer Boats (PTBs) for the Royal Navy’s latest aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales.

The platforms, which are based on AEUK’s SEA class design, will be customised to fit HMS Prince of Wales’ boat bays and to allow deployment and recovery via the ship’s davits. Each PTB will be certified to carry 34 passengers with up to three crew.

AEUK says it took the strategic decision to sub-contract the PTBs to Diverse Marine because of its proven track record with aluminium construction and ability to customise the design.

“It is great to see another of our SEA class designs come to fruition and an honour for AEUK to play a part in providing a new capability to one of the RN’s newest and most prestigious warships,” says Carl Stone, head of sales and product management for Surface Ship Systems Division, AEUK. “The new PTBs will provide the high-quality passenger carrying capability that the RN expects and commonality with rest of the SEA class platforms that AEUK are delivering.”

Ben Colman, director at Diverse Marine, says: “It is testament to the capability and quality of the work our team can produce that afforded Diverse Marine the ability to tender for this project and to be awarded the contract through a competitive process. I am immensely proud of not only our own core team, but also the stakeholder team and wider British marine industry for having the capability to deliver a solution which meets the requirements of AEUK, the Royal Navy and HMS Prince of Wales.”

Production of the PTBs will be at AEUK’s facilities in Winfrith, Dorset, and they will be delivered later this year.