APCL Group has welcomed Commodore Nick Fox to its facilities in Falmouth and Birkenhead to mark his retirement.
Cdre Nick Fox's career has spanned 45 years in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and has included several high-profile appointments - both afloat and shore-based.
Nick Fox
Nick Fox joined the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in 1978 as an engineer cadet. He completed his Cadet training in 1982 and served in a variety of seagoing and staff appointments before promotion to Captain in 2009.
This sea service at various ranks covered many Classes within the RFA Service. Shore appointments included Fleet Operations as DFOMO4 and two appointments to DE&S in support of RFA Platforms.
Seagoing and staff appointments
Further appointments included the Group Technical superintendent role in both the North and South Cluster teams
On promotion to Captain, he has served in a variety of seagoing and staff appointments. These included appointments as Chief Engineer to Fort Rosalie, and Bay Class vessels, with a two and half years ownership of Lyme Bay.
Further appointments included the Group Technical superintendent role in both North and South Cluster Teams, a position as building superintendent to 'Tide' Class vessels in the DSME shipyard in South Korea, and the role of Chief Engineer of Fleet Solid Support.
In-service support
Nick was latterly promoted to Commodore (E) Royal Fleet Auxiliary in January 2022, which saw him move from the Post of Group Technical Superintendent of Cluster Support Team 1 in Falmouth to DE&S Naval Ships Support Royal Fleet Auxiliary Team Leader.
Both A&P Falmouth and Cammell Laird have provided in-service support to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary under the Cluster support Contracts since 2008.
100% of RFA flotilla
The APCL Group maintains 100% of the RFA flotilla, with A&P Falmouth supporting RFA Lyme Bay, RFA Mounts Bay
The APCL Group maintains 100% of the RFA flotilla, with A&P Falmouth supporting RFA Lyme Bay, RFA Mounts Bay, RFA Cardigan Bay, RFA Argus, and HMS Scott and Cammell Laird supporting vessels from the RFA Fort-Class, Wave-Class and Tide-Class. In 2023, RFA Proteus and RFA Stirling Castle were also added to the Camell Laird cluster.
Over the past two weeks, Commodore Nick Fox met with Mike Spicer, Managing Director of A&P Falmouth, Matt Weetch, APCL Director of Defence, Jonathan Green, Cluster Director, and Mike Hill, Managing Director of Cammell Laird with John Kennedy RFA Cluster Director and their teams across APCL.
Collaborative approach
Commodore Nick Fox said, "I have made some great friends across APCL Group over the last 45 years, all of whom have provided steadfast support to the RFA. A&P and Cammell Laird are certainly the jewel in the RFA crown and have consistently ensured the Royal Fleet Auxiliary receives the vital support it needs to ensure our fleet is ready and available."
He adds, "The overall output we have delivered together, through our collaborative approach to supporting defence upkeeps and Annual Maintenance Periods both, in fleet time and nonfleet time, has been fantastic - RFA Fort Victoria’s refit in 2014 particularly stands out for me."
Cluster Support Contracts
David McGinley, CEO of APCL Group said, "Both A&P Group and Cammell Laird are extremely proud of the work which we continue to deliver through our Cluster Support Contracts - which is due to the ongoing partnership and collaboration we have shared with the Cdre Nick Fox and his colleagues at the Ministry of Defence."
He adds, "A&P, Cammell Laird, and the wider APCL Group send Cdre Nick Fox our very best wishes for a very happy retirement and we look forward to continuing the vital work we deliver on behalf of the Ministry."