Edinburgh HMS Venturer: Historic moment Royal Navy’s new 139-metre warship takes to the water for first time

A video shows the Royal Navy’s newest warship in the water for the first time on June 14.

HMS Venturer, the first of five Type 31 frigates which will patrol the oceans into the second half of the 21st Century, was towed beneath the three Forth Crossings to complete her construction in Rosyth.

Some of her crew, plus shipwrights and engineers from Babcock International Group, who have worked on the ship since the first steel was cut in September 2021, were on board for the 11-mile journey up the estuary.

New warship HMS Venturer is towed beneath the Queensferry Crossing. | Ray Smith

HMS Venturer emerged from the assembly hall named after her at the end of last month, carefully inched out on a gigantic low-loader, and then on to a partly-submersible barge.

Since then, experts have been waiting for a suitable tidal window in the Forth estuary to allow the ship to be precisely floated off.

That operation began on June 9, when the barge supporting the warship left Rosyth and sailed to waters deep and sheltered enough for the delicate manoeuvre off Leith.

Members of the new ship’s crew worked side-by-side with Babcock staff to ensure HMS Venturer lifted off the barge safely as the waters of the Forth lapped around her hull.

Once tugs were attached the frigate was towed back up river on her ‘maiden voyage’ with Venturer’s Senior Naval Officer, Commander Chris Cozens, on board - one of his final acts before he moves on for new pastures shortly.

He said: “Getting Venturer’s feet wet is not just a show piece, it is the culmination of the structural stage of build before the rest of the fit out and commissioning completes.

“It has been impressive to see the pride and teamwork in the industrial staff, MOD and Royal Navy. There is a single aim to make Type 31 the best it can be and fit to be a Next Generation Frigate, delivering maritime security and humanitarian disaster relief around the world.”

Once back at Rosyth, Venturer was carefully manoeuvred into an inner base in the dockyard to allow Babcock and contractors to complete fitting out the frigate and begin commissioning her systems and sensors as the vessel is prepared for her first sea trials.

Sir Nick Hine, Chief Executive of Babcock’s Marine Sector, said: “In a complex and uncertain world, our ability to design, build and support advanced warships in the UK is more important than ever.

“HMS Venturer's first entry into the water is a clear demonstration of UK sovereign capability in action and the depth, resilience and expertise within Babcock's Marine business. This latest milestone exhibits the excellent progress being made across our multi-build programme, which will see us deliver five complex warships for the Royal Navy within a decade.

“This is engineering at its best, delivered, together with our partners, with pride, purpose and precision. HMS Venturer is just the beginning.”

Leading Writer Andy Fleming, who typically looks after his shipmates’ admin, said: “My grandfather used to work at Harland and Wolff, so being involved with Venturer’s first move into the Forth is a proud moment for me.”

Lieutenant Dai Guthrie, the frigate’s Deputy Marine Engineer Officer, was delighted to be involved at “such an historic moment as Venturer entered the water for the first time”.

He said: “The operation has been an embodiment of the team ethos that has been ingrained in the build process thus far and a symbol of the progress that’s being made to bring a frigate at the cutting edge of naval technology into service.”

Operating from Portsmouth, HMS Venturer and her four sisters will conduct a variety of duties from thwarting drug smuggling activities to conducting board and search security operations and providing disaster relief.

Have you got a video you want to share with our readers? You can now send it to us online via YourWorld at https://www.yourworld.net/submit/ It's free to use and, once checked, your footage will appear on our website.