In October, South Shields based Solar Solve Marine dispatched consignments of its American Bureau of Shipping Type Approved, SOLASOLV anti-glare roller sunscreens to two US naval vessels.
One was for 10 SOLASAFE roller sunscreens to be installed at windows on USS EMORY LAND (AS-39), a United States Navy submarine tender and the lead ship of her class. The ship provides food, electricity, water, consumables, spare parts, medical, dental, disbursing, mail, legal services, ordnance, and any parts or equipment repair that a submarine may require.
The other was for 24 SOLAROLA roller sunscreens for windows on the USS George H W Bush (CVN-77), the tenth and final ship of the Nimitz-class of US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The floating airport cost $6.2 billion and is now one of the largest and most powerful warships in the world and will remain in service until the late 2050s.
The team at Solar Solve were naturally delighted when contacted again by the US Navy regarding the supply of 10 SOLASAFE for the USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE-13). Medgar Evers is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship, part of the US Navy’s Combat Logistics Force. Her mission is to deliver ammunition, provisions, dry stores, refrigerated food, spare parts, potable water, and diesel and jet fuel to U.S. Navy and allied ships while at sea. See the attached photo By Dave Souza – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73771869
Since February 2019 the vessel has been deployed to the Mediterranean. She has sailed with two Seahawk helicopters to support vertical replenishment operations and take part in three training exercises. She has conducted 31 underway replenishments with US Sixth Fleet and allied naval ships that included French, Greek, Italian, Spanish and Royal Navy warships, including supporting a new Royal Navy carrier strike group based on HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Solar Solve’s bid was successful and the screens were made and dispatched on time, as always. When in use, SOLASOLV screens reject glare, heat and uv light from the sun and act as a navigation safety aid by creating a safer, more comfortable working environment for personnel on a ship’s navigation bridge and other control rooms.
The icing on the cake was further communication with the Solar Solve Team, from USS George H W Bush personnel, to order more SOLAROLA screens for their vessel.
John Lightfoot MBE, Solar Solve’s Chairman commented, “We are proud to be a supplier to the US Navy and work very hard to ensure they always get exactly what they want, exactly where and when they want it.”
USNS Medgar Evers on Firth of Clyde
By dave souza – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73771869
