Clyde-built Royal Fleet Auxiliary landing ship RFA Cardigan Bay is spearheading the delivery of aid to Gaza.
Collaborating with US personnel, efforts are underway by American and British ships to construct a temporary floating pier to enable the direct distribution of life-saving supplies to the people of Gaza. A ship built in Scotland is leading the effort.
Built on the banks of the Clyde in Glasgow, RFA Cardigan Bay is a Bay-class landing ship dock of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, equipped to carry a substantial cargo capacity and facilitate the transportation of troops and equipment.
RFA Cardigan Bay will serve as lodging for hundreds of US sailors and soldiers engaged in establishing the pier. Initially, the pier is expected to facilitate the transport of 90 truckloads of international aid into Gaza, with the potential to handle 150 truckloads once fully operational, based on U.S. Department of Defence estimates
International effort
UK planning teams have collaborated closely with their US counterparts in Tampa, Florida, and Cyprus to devise the safest and most efficient maritime route. The UK Hydrographic Office has also contributed crucial shoreline analysis to aid in the pier’s development.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps stressed the significance of establishing additional avenues for humanitarian aid to reach Gaza. He remarked, “It is critical we establish more routes for vital humanitarian aid to reach the people of Gaza and the UK continues to take a leading role in the delivery of support in coordination with the US and our international allies and partners.”
Construction of the floating JLOTS pier in the Mediterranean is underway. The pier will support @USAID and humanitarian partners to receive and deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. @USTRANSCOM and @USEUCOM support the movement of #humanitarianaid. (Courtesy Photo) Crown copyright
Boots on the ground?
While US and UK involvement in this effort is so far confined to the water, a senior US military official recently said there would be no American “boots on the ground.” However, he mentioned that another nation would provide people to drive the lorries ashore.
While the official did not name the partner nation, the BBC reported that British officials are considering whether UK troops will take this role. However, Whitehall sources have told me this has not been decided, and the Ministry of Defence has not commented on the claims.
Scottish shipbuilding, global impact
The effort highlights the exceptional capabilities of Scottish shipbuilding and the value of such assets in addressing urgent humanitarian needs. This Scottish-built vessel is now crucial in a global effort to ensure aid delivery to Gaza, augmenting existing routes and operations at Port of Ashdod in Israel.
This operation not only demonstrates the strength and reliability of vessels constructed in Scotland but also exemplifies Scotland’s robust tradition in shipbuilding aimed at supporting humanitarian missions worldwide. People can be proud that a vessel built on the Clyde directly alleviates human suffering.
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