The first Portsmouth-built section of the future HMS Queen Elizabeth arrived at Rosyth on 4 May for integration with other delivered modules. The 1,820-tonne stern section, which has been built in two halves over 15 months, made the four-day journey welded to the deck of the 300ft long barge Viking 7, towed by the tug Kestrel. The larger Lower Block 02 mid-section, weighing 6,000 tonnes, is also ready to be shipped to Scotland. The module will be loaded onto the heavy-lift semi-submersible platform BOA Barge 35 starting on 15 May, with departure scheduled for 25 May.
Meanwhile, at Govan the two giant halves of Lower Block 04 were brought together for the first time in a precision move on 9 April. Once the two sections, which house the two main engine rooms, a medical area and accommodation, are joined together the block will become the largest single module at 11,000 tonnes. It will be shipped to Rosyth in the autumn, becoming the last hull section of the future HMS Queen Elizabeth.
