RFA Largs Bay, the first of two 16,000 ton displacement LSDA vessels being built at Swan Hunters Tyneside Shipyard arrived at Crombie in Scotland on 24 th April 2006 for official handover to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary the following day. The ceremony for handover of the ship on the 25 th April commenced with a traditional rendition from a local piper and involved the vessel being accepted on behalf of the RFA by Commodore Bob Thornton from Jaap Kroese the chairman of Swan Hunter. After the traditional exchanging of flags and speeches, the audience, comprising of project shipyard personnel, ships crew, Ministry representatives and local dignitaries witnessed as Captain Ian Johnston was officially asked to take over the vessel. Largs Bay will join RFA Mounts Bay, also designed by Swan Hunter, in operational duties with the RFA upon final acceptance into service in the near future. RFA Lyme Bay which is now constructionaly complete at Swan Hunters Wallsend yard is now entering its final commissioning phase.