Fleet Solid Support ship contract placed

The UK MoD has formally awarded Team Resolute – a consortium of Navantia UK, Harland & Wolff, and BMT – a £1.6 billion ($1.97 billion) contract to build three new naval support ships.

The three Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships will be assembled at Harland & Wolff, with blocks and modules to be constructed at Navantia’s Cadiz shipyard and Harland & Wolff’s Belfast and Appledore facilities.

They will be the first ships built by Harland & Wolff in Belfast since MV Anvil Point in 2002.

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The contract will see £100 million ($123 million) invested into UK shipyards.

UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: ‘This contract is a significant boost to the UK’s historic shipbuilding industry, balancing shipbuilding across the Union.

‘Creating jobs and prosperity, Team Resolute is bringing shipbuilding back to Belfast, developing a modern, resilient and thriving shipbuilding industry that will support naval and commercial shipbuilding into the future.’

Production is set to start in 2025, with recapitalisation and yard improvements to begin immediately.

All three ships are expected to be operational by 2032.