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UK Prime Minister - Government Committed to Supporting Shipbuilding Industry

23rd May 2024
UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak spoke of its government’s commitment to supporting the shipbuilding sector across the nation. At Harland & Wolff, Belfast is where facilities are in preparation for the company’s Fleet Solid Support (FSS) sub-contract. Afloat adds on Monday, H&W hosted members above of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee as part of its inquiry into defence spending levels throughout the UK.
UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak spoke of its government’s commitment to supporting the shipbuilding sector across the nation. At Harland & Wolff, Belfast is where facilities are in preparation for the company’s Fleet Solid Support (FSS) sub-contract. Afloat adds on Monday, H&W hosted members above of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee as part of its inquiry into defence spending levels throughout the UK. Credit: HarlandWolffplc/facebook

Across the Irish Sea, the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has said his government is committed to supporting the shipbuilding sector right across the nation.

Speaking on the sector at Westminster, during Prime Minister's Questions, he said,"I've seen first hand what companies like Holland and Wolf and the role that they play in the economy while and I can't comment specifically on the details of any individual case due to commercial sensitivity, I can assure him that we are working closely with Harland and Wolff in their request for a loan.

The Prime Minister added, "It is under consideration” reports ITV News (which includes footage of the PMQ’s).

The minister for defence procurement has insisted that no decision has been made around financial support for the London Stock Exchange listed Harland and Wolff Group.

Last week, according to a report in The Times newspaper suggested that the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is expected to block a key support package application by the shipbuilding firm, amid an “intense government row”.

John Wood, Harland and Wolff Group’s chief executive, then insisted their application “has not been rejected”, and “continues to be a work in progress”.

The shipyard group, which has its largest facility in Belfast, also has shipyard sites in Scotland and England, has received a major boon when the Team Resolute Consortium it belongs to won a bid from the UK Ministry of Defence.

The MoD contract to Team Resolute is to deliver three fleet solid support (FSS) ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) which provides fuel and stores required for the UK’s Royal Navy.

More here on the shipyard group's story.

Published in Shipyards
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

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Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

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Shipyards

Afloat will be focusing on news and developments of shipyards with newbuilds taking shape on either slipways and building halls.

The common practice of shipbuilding using modular construction, requires several yards make specific block sections that are towed to a single designated yard and joined together to complete the ship before been launched or floated out.

In addition, outfitting quays is where internal work on electrical and passenger facilities is installed (or upgraded if the ship is already in service). This work may involve newbuilds towed to another specialist yard, before the newbuild is completed as a new ship or of the same class, designed from the shipyard 'in-house' or from a naval architect consultancy. Shipyards also carry out repair and maintenance, overhaul, refit, survey, and conversion, for example, the addition or removal of cabins within a superstructure. All this requires ships to enter graving /dry-docks or floating drydocks, to enable access to the entire vessel out of the water.

Asides from shipbuilding, marine engineering projects such as offshore installations take place and others have diversified in the construction of offshore renewable projects, from wind-turbines and related tower structures. When ships are decommissioned and need to be disposed of, some yards have recycling facilities to segregate materials, though other vessels are run ashore, i.e. 'beached' and broken up there on site. The scrapped metal can be sold and made into other items.