Photo: Lesley Wild

Veteran Falklands ship arrives for refit on Tyneside
RFA FORT AUSTIN docks at A&P Tyne for the third time in ten years



A&P Tyne Ltd, part of A&P Group Ltd, has been awarded the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) refit
contract on RFA FORT AUSTIN for the UK Ministry of Defence.

The contract is to carry out a significant amount of planned maintenance and capability
enhancements to this auxiliary fleet replenishment ship, built on the Clyde in 1975.

The vessel arrived in Tyneside and moored alongside the Bede Quay at the Hebburn yard on July
23rd 2007 and successfully docked down on August 15th 2007. The total contract period is 103 days
and will employ at peak over 400 personnel with an A&P core workforce of approximately 200.

RFA FORT AUSTIN has been in continuous service with the RFA Flotilla since 1978 and has seen
service in the Falklands war in 1982, the 1st Gulf war in 1991, the conflict in Bosnia in 1994,
Operation Telic (2nd Gulf war) in 2003 together with humanitarian relief operations in areas such as
Sierra Leone in 2000.

The scope of A&P’s work involves upgrades to the internal and external communications fits, new
bridge and command arrangements, improved helicopter landing aids and improved fire
suppression systems. The project also involves increasing the capability of the ship by fitting a
variety of defensive weapons systems, together with a large amount of planned maintenance work
to ensure the ship continues to operate efficiently and remains within Lloyds Register
Classification.

Dave Skentelbery, Managing Director A&P North East Businesses, commented,

“This will be the 3rd consecutive refit for RFA FORT AUSTIN by A&P Tyne over the last ten
years and we welcome the return of this important national strategic asset for what will
be a very demanding and intensive refit period. Success on this project will be assured
by all the major contributors i.e. the RFA, ship staff, A&P and our major sub-contractors
working together as an integrated

The 23000 ton ships was built by Scotts' at Greenock in 1979 and is a familiar and arresting sight around the UK, not least on the Clyde itself. The above photo was taken in 2006 as she made her way into Loch Long.