The Spanish company Navantia, along with its subsidiary Navantia UK, is currently exploring all kinds of alternatives, including the purchase of the British Harland & Wolff (HW), to save a contract worth €1.9 billion. The viability of the programme for the construction of three logistical vessels for the Royal Navy’s Auxiliary Fleet depends on Harland & Wolff. In fact, this company, founded in 1861 and famous for owning the shipyard that built the Titanic, is part of the consortium “Team Resolute,” along with BMT and Navantia UK.
Among the possible actions being considered is the acquisition of the Belfast shipbuilder, which is currently in administration due to its inability to close a key funding round for its future. The fact that Harland & Wolff’s participation is critical in the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme contract could spur Navantia to come to its rescue.
According to The Telegraph, both companies are in exclusive and “advanced” negotiations. For now, Navantia and its UK subsidiary, Navantia UK, have approved the necessary mechanisms to support Harland & Wolff so that the shipyards can continue their operations while the companies explore options to ensure compliance with the aforementioned FSS programme.
Navantia UK, the British subsidiary of Navantia, is the main contractor for the FSS programme. The contract stipulates that part of the construction of the ships and their integration will take place on British territory. Therefore, the Spanish company is exploring alternatives to enable the HW shipyard to fulfill its role in the FSS programme. According to the terms of the contract announced last January, the construction of the blocks that will make up the ships will be carried out at the Harland & Wolff shipyards in Belfast (Northern Ireland) and Appledore (Devon, southwest England), as well as at the Navantia shipyard in Puerto Real (Cádiz).
The FSS programme is the largest export contract that Navantia has had, with 1,600 jobs at Navantia and a workload of 14 million hours during the execution of the programme. As Navantia reported at the time, the three FSS ships are intended to supply ammunition to Royal Navy ships deployed on missions. With a total length of 216 meters each—equivalent to the length of two football fields—they will be among the largest British ships, second only to aircraft carriers.
