KBS Maritime has reached a significant milestone in the £7 million Removable Keel Support Project, marking a breakthrough that will shape the future of Royal Navy maintenance operations. The programme is designed to enable comprehensive hull inspections of the Type 45 Destroyers, which is essential to the fleet’s ongoing operational capability and readiness.
Traditionally, carrying out a full hull inspection required a laborious process called ‘fleeting’, where the vessel would be carefully repositioned within the dry dock so that areas hidden by dock blocks and side supports could be accessed. This phased evolution was not only time-consuming – often adding up to six extra weeks to the maintenance schedule – but also logistically challenging. Once in operation, the removable keel blocks, eliminate the need for ‘fleeting’, granting full access to the hull in a single position, meaning maintenance schedules can be optimised.
Last week, project teams conducted a hands-on trial in the Ship Hall, simulating the bottom of 14 Dock with crane pads representing the underside of a Type 45 hull. This exercise allowed the Project Team and Docking Party to test the removable keel blocks in near-authentic conditions, focusing on ergonomics, manual handling, and spatial constraints. The involvement of the Royal Navy and BAE Systems Naval Architects, who are developing advanced digital models to simulate docking operations, added further expertise and rigour to the process.
The trial provided our teams with the first opportunity to raise, lower, and remove the blocks in a controlled environment, verifying both the innovative design and operational approach. The collaborative efforts of the Waterfront Project Team, Docking Party, and Crane Team proved invaluable in overcoming design and logistical challenges.
With Malin Abram constructing all 40 removable keel blocks in Glasgow, the project, which also includes the associated plant and equipment, remains firmly on track for delivery to Portsmouth by Spring 2026. This initiative will transform maintenance routines, allowing for full hull access and inspections – critical for underpinning the base’s Upkeep Programmes and ensuring that the Type 45 Destroyers remain at peak operational readiness.
As we continue to manage numerous dockings and undockings each year, this milestone demonstrates our proactive approach to sustaining the Royal Navy’s future capabilities. The success of the Removable Keel Support Project highlights the power of collaboration across teams and signals a new era of efficiency and reliability for ship maintenance at Portsmouth Naval Base.
