Royal Navy’s Scottish depots help fuel US Navy operations in the Arctic and Atlantic

US ships can now take on fuel from Royal Navy depots in Scotland to support operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic.

London and Washington have signed a fuel storage agreement, giving the US Navy access to two key depots on the West Coast.

The tanks at Campbeltown and on Loch Striven already support Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary operations.

The new Anglo-American agreement means the Royal Navy can purchase, deliver, store and issue bunker and cargo fuel at its Campbeltown and Loch Striven depots on behalf of the US Navy and Military Sealift Command – the American fleet’s vital supply/support arm, counterpart to our own RFA.

In addition to supplying US warships and Military Sealift Command vessels, these depots will continue to hold and issue to Royal Navy and RFA ships, as well as provisioning other allied navies.

The deal underlines the ever-closer logistics cooperation between the Royal and US Navies in support of the interoperability and integration agreement signed by London and Washington, designed to allow both Navies to operate together and help support each other.

“This fuel agreement supports a key ally and strengthens our enduring and special relationship at a time when allied cooperation in the North Atlantic and elsewhere is more important than ever,” said Commodore Paul Murphy, Deputy Director (Logistics) at Navy Command.

Adrian Jackson, Chief Executive at the Oil and Pipelines Agency who manage the Naval Oil Fuel Depots, added: “The Campbeltown and Loch Striven Oil Fuel Depots are thrilled to have American fuel once again and both depots will be storing F-76 and F-44 for the US.

“Several visits were held with US Navy representatives last year and they herald a future strong and reciprocal professional relationship.

“We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

The Fuel Storage Agreement is in place initially for five years, with an automatic five-year extension period and allows for revisions as world events evolve, strengthening allied operations and international cooperation in the North Atlantic and High North.