Fourth Sea Lord
| Office of the Chief of Materiel (Fleet) | |
|---|---|
Ensign of the Royal Navy | |
since 2019 | |
| Department of the Admiralty, Ministry of Defence | |
| Member of | Board of Admiralty, Admiralty Board, Navy Board |
| Reports to | First Sea Lord |
| Nominator | First Lord of the Admiralty, Secretary of State for Defence |
| Appointer | Prime Minister Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council |
| Term length | Not fixed (typically 1–3 years) |
| Inaugural holder | Captain George Barrington |
| Formation | 1830–1964, 1965–current |
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies, originally known as the Fourth Naval Lord, was formerly one of the Naval Lords and a member of the Board of Admiralty, which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. After the creation of the Ministry of Defence, the equivalent role was Chief of Fleet Support. The role currently falls within the remit of Defence Equipment and Support; since 2020 it has been known as Director General (Ships).