Warship 'proudly' named HMS Spey

MORAY councillors have attended a naming ceremony for the Royal Navy's latest Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Spey.

The £127 million River-class ship is formally affiliated with Moray Council and is the last of five in the Navy’s OPV fleet to be built by BAE Systems in Glasgow.

Moray Council leader Councillor Graham Leadbitter, Royal Navy veteran Councillor John Divers, the council’s Armed Forces champion and Royal Air Force veteran Councillor Donald Gatt, and chief executive Roddy Burns attended the ceremony at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Scotstoun, Glasgow.

The ceremony follows an invitation in October 2017 from Captain Chris Smith ADC, the Royal Navy’s Regional Commander for Scotland and Northern Ireland, to Moray Council to enter into a civic affiliation.

A bottle of Speyside Distillery whisky was smashed against the hull and, with the naming ceremony complete, HMS Spey will undertake sea trials before entering into service by the end of 2021.

Mr Gatt said he was proud to have attended the ceremony. He said: "As Armed Forces champion for Moray, it’s an immense privilege to see the Royal Navy’s new ship named HMS Spey – strengthening our historic military ties."

Mr Divers, who served in the Royal Navy, including at the former HMS Fulmar base in Lossiemouth, was pleased to see the ship’s progress. He said: "HMS Spey is an impressive ship – the last in this fleet of five to be built. It’s an honour to be invited by Captain Chris Smith to establish a civic affiliation to Moray Council, and personally for me to have attended the naming ceremony."

At 90 metres long and weighing 2,000 tonnes, HMS Spey is expected to carry a 30mm cannon and a flight deck capable of receiving a Merlin helicopter, in support of counter-terrorism, anti-piracy, anti-smuggling and maritime defence operations.

Mr Leadbitter said: "The affiliation between Moray and HMS Spey has been cemented with the naming ceremony. As the ship's company is built up over the coming weeks that relationship is set to grow and flourish, strengthening the link between the ship and our region."

HMS Spey was built by BAE in Govan, then moved down the Clyde to its Scotstoun yard to be fitted out.

Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Ben Evans said: "As she’s the final ship in the class, Spey has benefited from many of the lessons learned building and testing Forth, Medway, Trent and Tamar. They have blazed a trail for us, so I’d like to think of HMS Spey as last – but best.

"We are all determined to make her a success, proudly carrying the name of a great river around the world for many years to come."

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