Institution of Mechanical Engineers Devon and Cornwall Area, 1 Birdcage Walk, London (2026)

Name: Institution of Mechanical Engineers Devon and Cornwall Area
Address: 1 Birdcage Walk, London, SW1H9JJ, GB
Telephone: +442070457545

We exist to support the professional development of local engineers and to raise the profile of engineering in general. At present, the committee is based in Plymouth, but we have ambitious plans to expand our activities across the Area, starting in Exeter. We organise a broad portfolio of events to support your professional development and - hopefully - to have some fun too! If you have an idea f

or an event, we would love to hear it . If you are planning an engineering-related event of your own and would like some support, just ask. Almost all of our events are FREE and OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. You do not have to be an engineer to attend - just keen to make friends and learn something new! There is no age limit either - everyone is welcome. To find out more about us, come along to one of our meetings, or contact us. We hope to see you at a local event soon!

16/03/2026

On 5 March, the Committee hosted a fantastic technical lecture, “Learning from Experience (LfE) in the Delivery of a Complex Nuclear Project – The Submarine Disposal Programme”, in Plymouth. The event brought together engineers and professionals from across the region to explore the challenges and lessons learned in delivering the UK’s Submarine Disposal Programme, which aims to safely and responsibly defuel, dispose of, and dismantle 23 decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines.

A huge thank you to our speakers, Lisa and Hank, from Babcock International Group, for sharing their insights into programme delivery, infrastructure upgrades, and the importance of learning from experience in complex engineering projects.

We also extend our thanks to everyone who attended, asked thoughtful questions, and contributed to the engaging discussion. Events like this highlight the strength of the engineering community in Devon and Cornwall and the value of sharing knowledge across industry.

Keep an eye on our webpage for details of upcoming events; we look forward to seeing you at the next one!

08/03/2026

https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23914

White Cross Offshore Windfarm Webinar

📅 Date: 11 March 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00–13:00 (30‑minute briefing + 15 minutes Q&A)
💻 Format: Lunchtime Microsoft Teams Webinar
🎤 Speaker: Sam Park, Senior Project Manager, White Cross Offshore Windfarm (Flotation Energy & Cobra)

Event Overview:
Join us for an informative lunchtime webinar exploring the White Cross Offshore Windfarm, a pioneering floating offshore wind test‑and‑demonstration project located 52 km off the North Devon coast. The session will provide project background, technology insights, and an opportunity to engage directly with the project’s Senior Project Manager, Sam Park.

About Flotation Energy & Cobra:
Flotation Energy (UK-based developer) and Cobra (Spanish energy infrastructure company, part of Vinci Group) are joint developers of the White Cross Offshore Windfarm Limited entity responsible for delivering the project.
The project aims to accelerate floating offshore wind deployment in deeper waters of the Celtic Sea and contribute to the UK’s renewable energy and Net Zero targets.

Overview of the White Cross Offshore Wind Project:
The White Cross Offshore Windfarm is a 100 MW floating offshore wind test and demonstration project deploying six to eight floating wind turbines. It is designed to provide operational and environmental data that will inform future large‑scale floating wind developments across the region.

Speaker:
Sam Park — Senior Project Manager, White Cross Offshore Windfarm

Sam has led significant phases of planning and stakeholder engagement, including successful delivery of the 2025 full planning consent milestone. His insights offer a firsthand view of the project’s challenges, innovations, and future impact.

https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23914

04/02/2026

Learning from Experience (LfE) in the Delivery of a Complex Nuclear Project - The Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP)

📅Date: Thursday 5 March 2026
⏰Time: 18:00 – 20:00
📍Venue: Copthorne Hotel Plymouth, PL1 1AR

Register for the event at: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23899

Event Overview:

The aim of the Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP) is to deliver a safe, environmentally responsible and cost effective solution for the disposal of 23 of the UK’s out-of-service nuclear-powered submarines.
The SDP consists of 3 key phases: decommission, defuel and dismantle. Babcock International Group (BIG) is the Ministry of Defence (MoD) nominated lead supplier for the SDP and will undertake disposal activities at 2 nuclear licensed sites: Rosyth Royal Dockyard and Devonport Royal Dockyard.
This presentation will describe the strategic approach to the SDP, the programme structure and scope, infrastructure upgrades required to support the required disposal activities and a lookahead to future challenges. The presentation will be themed around Learning from Experience (LfE) in a complex programme and will include a reflection on the importance of Project Management (PM) processes, tools, mechanisms, stakeholder engagement and developing the personnel required to deliver the required objectives.

Speakers:

Lisa Arding, Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP) Director – Babcock International Group
Lisa is responsible for the disposal of all 23 UK out-of-service nuclear submarines, both in Devonport (Plymouth) and Rosyth (near Edinburgh). Lisa joined Babcock as an Engineering Graduate over 14 years ago, and throughout her career has supported all UK classes of submarine.
She lives in Plymouth with her husband and 2 children and enjoys the outdoor lifestyle that the south-west offers.

Michael “Hank” Hancox, Capability and Technical Integration Manager – Submarine Disposal Programme (SDP) – Babcock International Group
Hank served as an engineer in the Royal Navy Submarine Service before undertaking posts in Babcock International Group (BIG) and as an independent contractor in both the civil and defence nuclear enterprises before returning to BIG. He lives in Cornwall and is starting to plan for retirement.

Register for the event at: https://nearyou.imeche.org/near-you/UK/Western/Devon---Cornwall/Event-Detail?id=23899

Image of SM Swiftsure, UK MOD © Crown copyright 2024

Address

1 Birdcage Walk
London
SW1H9JJ

Telephone

+442070457545

Website

http://nearyou.imeche.org/devonandcornwall

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Institution of Mechanical Engineers Devon and Cornwall Area