A&P Falmouth Stages Training Exercise for Reserve Army’s Port Operators.

Global ship repair, conversion and marine specialist A&P Group has demonstrated its ongoing commitment to supporting the armed forces by holding a special training weekend for the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC.

Organised by Lt Cdr Trevor Brookes, the Royal Navy’s Liaison Officer at Falmouth Docks and A&P Falmouth’s Port Operations team, the training exercise was designed to give army reservists in the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment the chance to enhance their port operation skills in a real life setting.

A Reserve Regiment of the British Army's Royal Logistic Corps, the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment supports the Regular Army in ship to shore operations and provides vehicle specialists who can drive any vehicles the Army utilises. The regiment also delivers operational hygiene facilities to military hospitals in all corners of the world.

Based across the South of England with squadrons in Plymouth, Bodmin, Southampton, Banbury and Aylsbury, members of the 165 Port and Maritime Regiment train as Port Operators in order to load and unload ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary that carry stores and equipment for British Forces on operations overseas. The regiment specialises in unloading ships and getting stores ashore where no established port exists.

As a busy working port A&P’s Falmouth facility provided the perfect location to stage a port operation training exercise for 165 Port and Maritime Regiment. The Falmouth facility, is home to A&P’s Group Defence Division and is a centre of excellence for Ministry of Defence work. A&P has developed a strong relationship with the MoD and is delivering a number of MoD contracts including maintenance and fleet time support to high profile MoD vessels including RFA Argus and the LSDA Class vessels Mounts Bay, Cardigan Bay and Lyme Bay.

Supported by A&P Group, the RFA Mounts Bay recently transported 165 Port and Maritime Regiment to the British Virgin Islands where the unit was deployed to help with recovery operations following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The training exercise held for the regiment at A&P Falmouth gave reservists the opportunity to develop their port operation and vehicle skills in a real, working port environment. During the weekend Port Operators from both the 232 (Bodmin) and 265 (Plymouth) Port Squadrons were able to practice operating a range of heavy plant equipment including JCBs and large trucks to prepare road surfaces for port operations.

Lt Cdr Trevor Brookes, the Royal Navy’s Liaison Officer at Falmouth Docks who organised the training exercise said, “This was a fantastic example of the Armed Forces Covenant in action – with A&P offering its facilities and expertise to provide valuable, practical training for a regiment that is closely connected to the MoD vessels that A&P supports.”