Why our ships should be built in the UK

Shipbuilding jobs are under threat as the carrier programme winds down.

The loss of shipyard jobs at both BAE Systems and Babcock Marine in recent years is a stark reminder of the challenges the industry.

A number of yards face gaps in their order books. That’s why GMB is protesting in the strongest possible terms against the decision to put the contract to build three Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fleet Solid Support ships out to international tender.

This order is worth a reported £1 billion, and GMB estimates that up to 6,700 jobs could be created or secured in the UK is the order is produced domestically – including in the steel supply chain.

Ministers are not bound by normal EU competitive tendering requirements and they could guarantee that the order will be built in the UK. Instead, domestic shipyards are being forced to enter into an expensive bidding process against international competitors – a number of which are known to receive subsidies that are not available in the UK.

Our full research report Turning the Tide, which is part of GMB’s Making It campaign for manufacturing jobs, was published this week. It is clear that the Fleet Solid Support ships will be warlike military vessels and as such they should be built in the UK.

Shipbuilding and ship repair is a £2 billion industry that directly employs almost 32,000 people in the UK. Shipbuilding jobs tend to be highly-skilled and well paid. Jobs are concentrated in communities which has a devastating impact when jobs are lost and yards close. The industry forms a crucial part of our sovereign defence manufacturing capability.

Shipbuilding is part of our national identity. It is also a fundamental part of GMB’s identity: we are proud that our union and its predecessors have represented shipyard workers for over a hundred and fifty years.

You can watch Nick Smith, Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent, raise this issue on behalf of our members in Parliament here.

We will continue to place pressure on the Government to make the case for building Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships in the UK.