HRH The Duke of Edinburgh publicly unveiled the £19m facility, which contains the country’s most sophisticated wave tank testing facilities, and a state-of-the-art ship simulator used to train the next generation of mariner at the University of Plymouth.
The Duke was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Marine Science by the University, in recognition of his decorated career in the Royal Navy.
The visit is the second royal appointment for the University this year after it received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in February, in respect of its marine and maritime excellence.
It also follows the publication of Dark Seas:The Battle of Cape Matapan by University of Plymouth Press, in which Lord High Admiral HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, in a distinguished foreword, made public for the first time his experiences as a midshipman during World War II.
Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor, said:
“For 150 years, Plymouth University and its antecedent institutions have been conducting marine and maritime research, education and training. With the opening of our Marine Building, we are heralding a new dawn, not just in the development of Plymouth as a leading higher education institution, but for the city, the region and the marine renewable sector, who will be able to use the building’s research and development facilities to catalyse technological breakthroughs.
“It was an honour to welcome HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on this special day, and to pay tribute to his distinguished and decorated career with the award of an Honorary Doctorate of Marine Science.”
HRH The Duke of Edinburgh was given a tour of the building, and had the opportunity to take the wheel of the new ship simulator, which is used in the training of mariners and merchant seaman. He saw a demonstration of the power of the new wave tanks, and then donned his graduation gown to receive his honorary doctorate.
Then, as a large crowd of VIPs and members of the public watched, The Duke formally opened the building by unveiling an inscription cut into a limestone boulder located outside of the building.
The centre-piece of the Marine Building are the Coastal Ocean and Sediment Transport (COaST) laboratories, home to a number of wave tanks and flumes, where engineers will be able to test devices using different simulated conditions, thanks to wave, current and wind-generation technology.
The building also houses the Marine Navigation Centre, with a full mission bridge simulator to enable students to ‘pilot’ a huge variety of vessels – from super tankers to yachts – in a range of international destinations, complete with an electronic chart suite. Rounding off the facility is a business incubation centre for companies working in the marine renewable and engineering sector.
The facility will also be home to the University’s Marine Institute, which boasts the broadest research portfolio in Europe, covering almost every major sea-related discipline including oceanography, hydrography, marine biology and coastal ecology, as well as engineering, shipping, and professional development for the navigation industry.
Professor Martin Attrill, Director of the Marine Institute, said:
“Our researchers and scientists are working across the globe on issues relevant to the health of our seas – from acidification and its consequences for sea-life, to coastal erosion, flood risk and the impact of renewable energy technologies upon the environment.
“This remarkable facility will provide a world-class platform to support and extend the work we do.”
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Press release, November 2, 2012; Image: University of Plymouth