Prestigious Proteus Project Completed by Neway.

Neway Industrial Services, part of the APCL Group, has recently completed an extensive programme of painting works on RFA Proteus.

RFA Proteus is an offshore support vessel that was purchased by the UK Ministry of Defence last year and was subsequently converted by APCL facility Cammell Laird for Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS).

RFA Proteus has spent a spell of three weeks in dry dock this year at Cammell Laird – joining Cammell Laird’s RFA cluster contract along with the Tide Class and Fort Class.

Whilst undergoing its programme of works in drydock at Cammell Laird, the Neway team was tasked with high pressure washing the entire vessel to remove all contaminants before applying a full coat of anti-fouling underwater paint and black boot-top area added to the side of the ship.

Once the vessel had moved into the wet basin, Proteus’ main deck surface was prepared using a combination of UHP blasting and abrasion of existing coatings and then reinstated according to international paint specification. The vessel’s moonpool lid was also repainted on top and underneath.

Sean O'Brien, Managing Director of Neway, said: “As February 2024 was one of the wettest February’s on record, Proteus’ painting programme was always going to be a challenge. Our team were fully prepared and were able to support the recovery plan in the dry dock 7, followed by successful completion of the programme whilst in the Wet Basin and delivery of the painting of the main deck.”

Russell Peplow, Group Technical Superintendent and Team Leader for RFA Cluster Support Team 2, which includes RFA Proteus, added: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Neway for delivering a high quality Painting Project for Proteus safely, on time and within budget. We look forward to building a collaborative relationship with Neway as they deliver the painting scope on other RFA vessels at Cammell Laird later this year.”