FFS with barge assistance to the British Navy

21 November 2022

When the flagship of the British Navy visits Norway for the first time, it will be with FFS Ponton 6 as a distance barge at Søndre Akershuskai in Oslo.

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FFS Ponton 6 is located between the quay and the aircraft carrier HMS "Queen Elizabeth". (Photo: Roy Engen)

Text: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

The arrival of the aircraft carrier HMS "Queen Elizabeth" receives a lot of attention in the Norwegian press. Both VG and NRK writing about the visit on Monday morning.

And in the middle of the event, a barge from Farsund is located.

- It is clear that we think this is very exciting. At the same time, these are the operations on which we build our operations. We have a lot of equipment available and can deliver in a very short time, says John W. Nilsen, general manager of FFS.

FFS PONTON 6, which is 55 meters long and 17.3 meters wide, was towed into the capital by FFS Arion at the end of last week. The tugboat will remain at Filipstadkaia in Oslo until the British visit is over.

- How long the aircraft carrier will stay in Oslo is uncertain. But the plan is for FFS Arion to take the barge home to Farsund when the visit is over, says Nilsen.

ACCORDING TO A press release from the Norwegian Armed Forces, the visit to Oslo takes place in connection with the British military operation Operation Achillean, which takes place in cooperation with NATO allied countries.

The aircraft carrier, which can carry up to 36 fighter jets and a number of helicopters, is the largest ever built for the British Navy.

ACCORDING TO PLAN Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støres will visit the aircraft carrier on Monday evening. There, among other things, he will meet the crew on board. It will not be open to anyone other than invited guests.

- While the ship is visiting Oslo, several meetings and conversations about further cooperation will be held. As part of the visit to Oslo, two frigates, a destroyer and a supply ship will also arrive, writes the Norwegian Defense Forces.

NORWAY AND The UK has a long and good tradition of defense cooperation. The UK is a key member state in NATO and an important military and security policy actor with whom Norway has varying degrees of cooperation.

HMS "Queen Elizabeth" will stay at Søndre Akershuskai in Oslo during the stay. The ship will be clearly visible in Oslo's harbor basin.

Together with FFS Ponton 6.

Presentation

Barges / 2000

 

Tugboat / 1993