Locals baffled by huge ‘zebra' ship sailing along the Scottish coast
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LOCALS have been left baffled after a 'zebra ship' sailed along the Scottish coast.
The unusual barge has now docked at Babcock Rosyth yard in Fife - but has nothing to do with its lookalike animal.
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The 'zebra ship' Sans Vitesse vessel anchored at Rosyth dockyard
Credit: Andrew Barr
The ship, which stands out due to its zebra stripe pattern, is called the Sans Vitesse.
The barge is used for accommodation and will house Navy personnel while the HMS Queen Elizabeth undergoes planned maintenance at Rosyth Dockyard.
However, not all of the crew will be staying on the ship.
Those on the Sans Vitesse will solely be the duty watch who need to be close to the ship.
The rest of the crew will be staying on the HMS Caledonia.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: "When ships go into refit periods there are occasions when it becomes necessary to source alternative temporary accommodation for some of the ship's company.
"The health and wellbeing of our people remain paramount, and we make sure that accommodation is suitable and meets our standards, which this accommodation has.
"The Sans Vitesse will provide suitable accommodation for our personnel while HMS Queen Elizabeth undergoes planned maintenance in Rosyth."
Graeme Downie, the MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, added: "I have spoken to ministers over the past few days, and they have assured me the accommodation on Sans Vitesse is of the highest quality and suitable for personnel from HMS Queen Elizabeth while the ship is docked at Rosyth.
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'However, I think we must also see work to upgrade and modernise HMS Caledonia to ensure the base is fit for purpose and has the facilities and services to accommodate personnel in the future and I will be pressing ministers and the Royal Navy further on this matter."
HMS Queen Elizabeth has left Portsmouth as it makes it way to Rosyth where it will spend around seven months in dry dock.
Essential sea trials are to be carried out before its arrival which will involve tests on the newly-installed navigation and propulsion control systems.
The Royal Navy says the ship is currently undergoing the equivalent of a car MOT at the end of a busy six years, which included a major global deployment to the Indo-Pacific in 2021 and leading NATO operations across European waters.
The first nine months of the overhaul has seen HMS Queen Elizabeth undergo engineering work in Portsmouth and the ship's company conduct essential training to be ready for sea trials – as well as development courses for sailors and officers.
The second phase over the coming months will see the aircraft carrier placed in dry dock at the Babcock Dockyard which will provide the opportunity to inspect and improve systems inaccessible when the ship is afloat.
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