Navy support ships to be built in West
THE Westcountry is to share in a multi-million pound project to build three new support ships for the Royal Navy.
The Harland and Wolff-owned yard at Appledore, in North Devon, will take on a significant proportion of the construction work, building the blocks and modules for the ships.
Overall, the £1.6 billion project, led by a British-led consortium, Team Resolute, is expected to create 1,200 new jobs in UK shipyards and hundreds more in the supply chain.
The contract was announced by Defence Secretary Ben Wallace yesterday, on a visit to Appledore. He said it was a “significant boost to UK shipbuilding”.
“By selecting Team Resolute, the Ministry of Defence has chosen a proposal which includes £77 million of investment into the UK shipyards, creating around 2,000 UK jobs, and showcasing cutting-edge British design,” he said.
However, the Labour Party criticised the decision to send part of the work to Cadiz, in Spain. Shadow defence secretary John Healey said: “This decision is a betrayal of British jobs and British business.”
Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect union, warned: “Spain will be delighted with the Government’s approach to levelling up.”
SUPPORT ships for the Royal Navy with a contract that should create 1,200 UK shipyard jobs, hundreds of graduate and apprentice opportunities, and an expected 800 further jobs across the UK supply chain, will be built in North Devon.
British-led Team Resolute, comprising BMT, Harland & Wolff and Navantia UK, has been appointed as the preferred bidder by the Ministry of Defence to deliver three crucial support ships to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA).
The £1.6 billion contract – before inflation – would see the manufacture of the vessels, providing munitions, stores and provisions to the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates deployed at sea.
It is subject to HM Treasury and Ministerial approval but the pledge by Team Resolute to invest £77 million in shipyard infrastructure should see the creation of one of the most advanced yards in the UK and prove significant for future export and domestic shipbuilding opportunities.
The proposal pledges that the entire final assembly for all three ships will be completed at Harland & Wolff’s shipyard in Belfast, with the three 216-metre-long vessels – each the length of two Premier League football pitches – to be built to Bathbased BMT’s entirely British design.
Under the contract, the majority of the blocks and modules for the ships would be constructed at Harland & Wolff’s facilities in Belfast and Appledore, North Devon, with components to be manufactured in their other delivery centres in Methil and Arnish, in Scotland.
The programme, which would also support a significant British-based supply chain, would be undertaken in collaboration with internationally renowned shipbuilder, Navantia.
Build work would also take place at Navantia’s shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, in a collaboration that allows for key skills and technology transfer from a world-leading auxiliary shipbuilder.
Selaine Saxby, MP for North Devon and chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Celtic Sea, said: “This is excellent news for our local marine and manufacturing sector. Appledore Dockyard previously built modules for the Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers and is well set up to deliver.
“As chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Celtic Sea,” she added, “I warmly welcome this confidence in Appledore and hope with further investment in our port infrastructure they will also be better placed to provide support and maintenance for future Floating Offshore Wind farms.”
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “This news will be a significant boost to the UK shipbuilding industry. By selecting Team Resolute, the Ministry of Defence has chosen a proposal which includes £77 million of investment into the UK shipyards, creating around 2,000 UK jobs, and showcasing cutting-edge British design.
“Building on ambitions laid out in the National Shipbuilding Strategy, this contract will bolster technology transfer and key skills from a worldrenowned shipbuilder, crucial in the modernisation of British shipyards.”
The contract aims to deliver 200 further education opportunities on graduate placements and apprentice programmes, as well as supporting thousands more supply chain jobs.