Babcock International has completed the refit of the British Royal Navy’s Sandown-class minehunter vessel HMS Penzance at the Rosyth facility in Scotland.

The company delivered the work under a contract to provide maintenance and upgrades to all Sandown-class minehunter ships.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

As part of the refit package, Babcock replaced both main engines during HMS Penzance’s ten-month docking period at the Rosyth facility. The vessel also underwent multiple glass reinforced plastic (GRP) repairs and addition and alteration (A&A) packages.

The contract work was delivered by a team of more than 50 Babcock employees with experience in electrical, mechanical, engineering, joinery and GRP shipwright services. The team was assisted by specialist sub-contractors.

Babcock Rosyth site managing director Sean Donaldson said: “Our common user facility at Rosyth is home to one of the largest waterside manufacturing and repair facilities in the UK.

“Our common user facility at Rosyth is home to one of the largest waterside manufacturing and repair facilities in the UK.”

“This, alongside our skilled and experienced workforce with their commitment to innovation and quality, ensures that we offer the complete package for visiting ships.”

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Following the refit, HMS Penzance was put through the ready for sea inspection and then returned to her home port, HMNB Clyde, with full operational capabilities.

Babcock will now begin the refit of the second of the Royal Navy minehunter flotilla, HMS Pembroke, which has arrived at the Rosyth site.

HMS Penzance is used to neutralise underwater threats and clear the sea-lanes for shipping.

The Sandown-class vessels feature BAE Systems’ Insyte Nautis M combat management system and two underwater PAP 104 Mk5 remote-controlled mine-disposal vehicles.

Naval Technology Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Naval Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Virtualitics has secured the Innovation and Business Expansion awards for its Integrated Readiness Optimization (IRO) suite. Discover how its explainable AI is transforming maintenance, sustainment and mission readiness, giving defence leaders faster, clearer, and more confident operational decisions.

Discover the Impact