Lloyd’s Register’s Global Technology Centre receives royal opening

HRH the Princess Anne received a warm welcome from the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire – Lindsay Fox MBE, who introduced her to LR ceo Richard Sadler, ceo elect Alastair Marsh, vice-chancellor Prof. Don Nutbeam, Prof. William Powrie and 150 invited guests.

HRH toured the Towing Tank facility and visited the Centre for Complex Autonomous Systems Engineering Laboratories onsite before arriving at the GTC building. The campus is also home to Southampton University's Faculty of Engineering and the Environment and Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI).

After viewing the commemorative embroidery created by artist Alice Kettle, Princess Anne then explored an exhibit highlighting the historical role LR has played in supporting the evolution of shipping, focusing on the technology challenges today and in the future. Archive material relating to LR's involvement with royal yachts was also presented to HRH by LR's historian Barbara Jones.

The Ship Emergency Response Team ran a simulation of a ship casualty for HRH to understand LR's role in providing emergency response services. Finally, the Princess Royal unveiled a p Flag laque and formally opened the campus.

LR says that when fully completed, the Boldrewood Innovation Campus will host a world-class research infrastructure including an anechoic wind chamber, advanced fluid dynamics experimental facilities, which will be used across a range of disciplines including civil engineering and aerospace, and a 140mtr towing tank that will provide detailed research on new maritime technologies.

Sadler commented: "The collaboration between industry and academia is vital for technical innovation. Our vision for the Southampton Global Technology Centre is to lead the world in helping to develop the solutions that will support safer, cleaner, more efficient businesses and assets."

The occasion proved something of a valedictory one for Sadler who came to the end of his term as ceo a few days later. A Welsh flag flew outside LR's HQ building in Fenchurch Street for the first time in the classification society's 255-year history in honour of the departing chief exec.

Viewing of the commemorative embroidery

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