The UK Government is backing British shipbuilding with multi-billion-pound investment in two major maritime projects, in a move it says will strengthen the country’s industrial base and support skilled manufacturing jobs.
The investment will fund three new floating docks for the Royal Navy’s submarine service at HM Naval Base Clyde, as well as a new marine research vessel. Both projects will be delivered by UK companies.
The three floating docks, being procured through the UK-only Programme Euston competition, will provide maintenance facilities for the Royal Navy’s current and future nuclear submarine fleet. The facilities will enable essential inspections, upgrades and repairs to be carried out at HM Naval Base Clyde, with the Government arguing that the programme will protect critical sovereign capabilities while supporting businesses across the UK supply chain.
The new marine research vessel, meanwhile, is expected to enter service in the early 2030s, replacing the existing vessel as it approaches the end of its operational life. It will carry out research into UK seas and oceans, with data intended to support sustainable fishing, improve understanding of fish stocks and provide greater confidence to coastal communities.
The government said the two projects form part of a broader approach to public procurement that seeks to use government spending to strengthen national security while supporting domestic industry and regional economic growth.
Chancellor John Healey said the investment marked the beginning of a “new age of industrialisation” for Britain.
Britain has a proud shipbuilding heritage, and every pound of this strategic investment in a critical sector is backing British jobs on the Clyde and businesses across the UK, supporting growth in every postcode.
By backing British shipyards, we are not only boosting national security but also securing resilience in the industries that will drive growth today while building the capabilities the country needs for the future.
Chancellor John Healey
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said the Government would seek to buy from British industry where domestic companies have the capability to deliver.
Defence spending should make Britain stronger in every sense. That means backing British by buying British wherever our industry can deliver.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting
The government said Programme Euston will help modernise the infrastructure supporting the UK’s submarine service for decades to come, while creating work for British shipyards, engineers and smaller companies in the wider supply chain.
The announcement comes as the government seeks to position defence and other strategically important industries as drivers of wider UK industrial growth, with major public-sector projects being used to support domestic manufacturing capability and supply chain resilience.
For more articles like this, visit our Leadership channel
