Portsmouth Naval Base is set to turn from Navy Blue to Green in its latest environmental drive.
The base has welcomed a new fleet of electric vans alongside the introduction of a Loan Bike Scheme, as part of transport and health initiatives being implemented at the base. The drive will help cut down on congestion, pollution and running costs, while the cycle initiative will encourage healthy lifestyles.
The NAVYfit Loan Bike Scheme mirrors the ‘Boris Bike’ initiative from London, enabling you to hire a bike at one location in the city, returning it at your destination.
The initiative is being funded through a partnership between BAE, the Royal Navy, Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) as well as the RN Sports Lottery, and has provided 15 bikes so far, with plans to expand the scheme to 30 bikes in the summer.
The base is also welcoming a different type of fleet than usual in the form of 48 Nissan e-NV200 Combis. The vehicles will be used by BAE Systems’ personnel to transfer stores, engineering and load-lifting equipment from warehouses within the Naval Base.
With 26 charging points and 28 designated parking bays across the site, the vehicles can cover 106 miles on a full charge, and take just three hours to completely re-charge the batteries.
It is anticipated that the use of the electric fleet will save the MOD around £360,000 in fuel and other costs over its two-year duration. The all-electric Nissan vans will reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the naval base’s vehicle fleet by around 40 per cent.
The electric vehicles have been ordered by BAE Systems on behalf of the Naval Base Commander as part of his commitment to investing in green energy on the naval base. Other initiatives already applied through this commitment include: the installation of solar panels, LED lighting in offices, LED street lighting, air-source heat pumps and intelligent control systems.
Portsmouth Naval Base Commander, Commodore Jeremy Rigby, said: “I am very pleased to welcome the addition of these 48 electrical cars to our fleet in the naval base. It’s great for the Royal Navy, great for Portsmouth and great for the environment.”
Ian Anderton, Integrated Delivery Director at BAE Systems, added: “We have worked closely with Lex Autolease and Nissan to introduce this new fleet that makes a significant reduction to carbon dioxide emissions and respects ours customer’s need for value for money. Replacing nearly half of the transport fleet at the naval base reiterates the company’s commitment to creating more energy efficient ways of working and adopting the latest technologies.”
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