A HAMPSHIRE firm has received a multimillion contract to install a new vessel traffic management system to help ship movements in the Solent.

BAE Systems has been awarded the £5.5million contract as part of its partnership with the Royal Navy and the Ministry of Defence to modernise HM Naval Base Portsmouth.

This is in preparation for the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth – the first of the four-acre, 65,000-tonne aircraft carriers to be based in Portsmouth.

Daily Echo: HMS Queen Elizabeth, the largest warship ever built in the UK, during her 'float out' of the dock at the Rosyth Dockyard in Fife, in which she was assembled for the first time. (BAE Systems/PA)

Minister of State for Defence Procurement Philip Dunne said: “A huge amount of investment is under way right across the naval base to get Portsmouth ready for the arrival of our HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier in early 2017, including refurbishing the base’s jetties to ease access for the ships and installing new power supplies.

“This new system, to help control and monitor ship movements within Portsmouth Harbour and the Eastern Solent, is an essential part of this ese upgrades.

“Making Portsmouth the home of our Queen Elizabeth carriers, alongside with the existing Portsmouth flotilla, will sustain thousands of jobs, meaning these impressive ships will provide an enduring contribution to jobs and skills in the local economy.

Daily Echo: A computer generated image of a Type 26 frigate

Type 27 Frigates are in pipeline.

The new system installation, which is to be completed in early 2016, is designed to provide the Queen’s Harbour Master and the Vessel Traffic Service team with the situational awareness they require to control the vessels in their operational area.

The system will integrate several different sensors, including four radars, an Automatic Identification System, 17 High Definition CCTV cameras, a high performance thermal camera, six metrological sensors and four hydrological sensors.

John Hudson, managing director of UK Maritime Sector at BAE Systems, added: “We are pleased to continue our support to the Royal Navy by managing this important project for Portsmouth.

“With shipping activity expected to increase over the next few years a new Vessel Traffic Management System is essential for the future safety and security of Portsmouth Harbour.

“The contract is an excellent example of how we are working in partnership with the Royal Navy to deliver service improvements and modernise Portsmouth Naval Base.”

Last year BAE Systems was given a £600million Royal Navy contract to manage Portsmouth Naval Base for five years, securing more than 2,000 jobs in Hampshire.

It was a boost for the county after the bitter blow of November 2013 when BAE announced that shipbuilding would cease in Hampshire with the loss of nearly 1,000 jobs.

A large number of the staff employed at the Portsmouth base were from Southampton, having moved there when Vosper Thornycroft closed its operations in Woolston.

The Royal Navy delivers a range of support services to ships including technical services, maintenance, repairs and upgrades.

It includes the management of the Portsmouth Naval Base on behalf of the Navy, delivering everything that is needed to live and work on the base such as planning, engineering, and programme management.