New class of Royal Navy frigates take shape as HMS Venturer enters water

16th June 2025 at 12:11pm

HMS Venturer, the Royal Navy’s newest warship took to the water for the first time

HMS Venturer – the first of five new Type 31 frigates – has entered the water for the first time after a delicate float-off operation in the Firth of Forth.

The 139-metre vessel was floated off a submersible barge near Leith before being towed back beneath the Forth’s three iconic bridges to Rosyth for the next stage of her construction.

Venturer is the lead ship of the Inspiration-class – five general-purpose frigates being built by Babcock at Rosyth – designed to replace the Royal Navy’s ageing Type 23s.

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She is expected to enter service within the next couple of years and will be based at Portsmouth.

Commander Chris Cozens, the ship’s Senior Naval Officer, was on board for the operation, which he described as a key moment in the ship’s build.

Commander Chris Cozens, the ship’s Senior Naval Officer, was on board for the operation, which he described as a key moment in the ship’s build.

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

“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.”

The float-off was coordinated by Babcock International, with some of Venturer’s crew joining engineers and shipwrights for the carefully timed manoeuvre in the Firth of Forth.

After emerging from her Rosyth assembly hall, Venturer was carefully inched out on a gigantic low-loader and then transferred onto a semi-submersible barge.

Experts at Babcock had to wait for a suitable tidal window in the Forth estuary to allow the ship to be precisely floated off, then the barge supporting the warship left Rosyth and sailed to waters deep, and sheltered, enough for the delicate manoeuvre.

Find out what the new Type 31 frigates offer the Navy

The ship has now been returned to an inner basin at Rosyth, where teams will continue fitting her out and preparing her systems for sea trials.

Sir Nick Hine, Chief Executive of Babcock’s Marine Sector, said: “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.”

Venturer is equipped with a 57mm main gun, two 40mm secondary guns and the Sea Ceptor missile system.

She also has a flight deck capable of operating both Merlin and Wildcat helicopters, and a top speed of around 26 knots.

Once in service, she will conduct missions ranging from maritime security and counter-narcotics to humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

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