Navantia has won one of the most important contracts for Spanish shipyards in recent years, consisting of the construction of three logistics ships for the British Navy. The order amounts to 1,600 million pounds (1,800 million euros) and is particularly relevant, not only because of the amount, but because it breaks the Brexit restrictions in an area as sensitive as defense.
The British subsidiary of Navantia, Navantia UK, will develop the project together with two British companies, Harland
Each of the ships will be 216 meters long, making them the largest in the British fleet, behind only the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier.
The contract also makes Navantia one of the best positioned Spanish companies in the United Kingdom, along with Santander, Iberdrola (Scottish Power), Telefónica (O2), Iberia (integrated into IAG), Ferrovial (Heathrow) and Aena (Luton). Ferrovial has studied the sale of its 25% stake in Heathrow airport and has just divested itself of the services subsidiary Amey.
Navantia will work for the British Ministry of Defense as part of the Team Resolute consortium, chosen as the preferred bidder for the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) program, which is the one that will make the ships. The construction of the blocks that will make up the ships will be carried out in the Harland shipyards
The consortium, indicates Navantia, combines the latest generation design of BMT, the construction capacities of several of the largest breakwaters in Europe and the experience of program management and technology transfer of the Spanish company. The three FSS ships will supply stores and ammunition to Royal Navy ships deployed on missions.
The consortium will invest £77m to revitalize UK shipbuilding infrastructure. “It is an honor for Navantia and Navantia UK to participate in this program, which will benefit from our excellence in shipbuilding and our capacity for program management and technology transfer”, indicated the president of Navantia, Ricardo Domínguez.
The choice of the preferred supplier was announced this Wednesday by the UK Defense Secretary, Ben Wallace, during a visit to the Harland shipyard
