New HS Marine crane will enhance lifting capability aboard the dive support vessel ‘Tedworth’ operating at Portsmouth Naval Base.
Marine Cranes has been awarded the contract to supply and install a new HS Marine AK 25/14 HE4 marine crane on board Tedworth, the dive support vessel operated by KBS Maritime in support of their diving operations at Portsmouth Naval Base.
The Tedworth, originally built in Hythe by Meercat Workboats, plays a vital role within HMNB Portsmouth, supporting more than 400 dive operations each year.. The vessel supports KBS Maritime diving teams in their duties connected with Royal Navy vessels and port installations, and her deck crane is central to day-to-day dive operations, launch and recovery of equipment, and the handling of stores and dive gear.
The existing crane has reached the end of its serviceable life and has been assessed as beyond economical repair. The replacement programme will deliver a step change in capability, reliability and operator safety.
Marine Cranes will deliver the project on a turnkey basis, from initial vessel survey through to crane removal, foundation engineering, installation, commissioning, load testing and operator familiarisation. The new crane will be installed at Williams Shipping’s marine base in Southampton Eastern Docks in December 2026, during a planned vessel outage.
The project keeps the full supply chain inside the Solent. Marine Cranes is headquartered in Southampton. Williams Shipping, also Southampton based, will provide the lift facilities, marine base and crawler crane support for the changeover. Tedworth herself was built a short distance away across Southampton Water in Hythe.
The Crane: HS Marine AK 25/14 HE4 is a four-section telescopic knuckle boom crane built to the highest marine standards. Key technical data:
- Maximum outreach 14.0 m with a safe working load of 920 kg
- 360° hydraulically continuous slew
- Integrated 2 tonne hydraulic winch
- Radio remote control, electric swivel joint and park assist as standard
- Flame metallizing paint surface treatment for long-term corrosion protection in the marine environment
The crane will be supplied in a configuration optimised for Tedworth’s dive support duties, with full factory acceptance testing in Italy ahead of shipment to the UK.
Ben Pym, Managing Director of Marine Cranes, said: “Tedworth is exactly the kind of project we built Marine Cranes for: a working vessel in critical service, a customer who demands the highest quality, and a chance to deliver it on our doorstep. Between ourselves in Southampton, Williams Shipping facilitating the lift, and Tedworth’s home port of Portsmouth, the whole programme stays inside the Solent. That matters for response times, accountability and aftersales support. We are proud to partner with KBS Maritime on this one.”
Gary Morrison, Technical Director at KBS Maritime, said: “Replacing Tedworth ‘s crane is a significant upgrade for our diving operations at Portsmouth. We were looking for a supplier who could take the whole package, from survey through to commissioning, and stand behind it long after handover. Marine Cranes presented a clear, well-engineered solution with HS Marine, and their local Solent presence and supply chain were a real factor in the decision. We look forward to working with them through to installation.”
