Sir Bobby boat named

Lady Else at The Port of Tyne Credit: Port of Tyne

The £1mvessel arrived at the Port at the end of December and has been undergoingrigorous trials and crew training.

Sir Bobby’swidow and son, Lady Elsie Robson and Andrew Robson took part in the ceremony atthe Customs House Pontoon, South Shields, on Monday, March 5th.

Lady Robson will officially launched the boatin the time-honoured tradition, by breaking a bottle of champagne on its hull.

Acompetition was held for port employees and families to choose the name. The winner was Ben Nicholson, 13, fromChester-le-Street, who is the Harbour Master Mike Nicholson’s youngest son.

The SirBobby Robson will play a vital role at the Port of Tyne, working to plough theriverbed and keep river depths maintained following a £5m major dredgingcampaign in 2011 which made the river deeper than ever before.

Watch Derek Proud's full report on the naming ceremony of The Sir Bobby Robson.