DESIGN BID FOR UK REPLENISHMENT SHIPS

While the government has stipulated final assembly in the UK, and major participation by the national supply chain, the shortlist of bidding groups includes American, Dutch, Indian and Spanish interests.

Under the long drawn-out Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) modernisation plan, looking to the procurement of three fleet solid support (FSS) ships, four industry consortia have now been selected by the Ministry of Defence to develop design proposals.

The subsequent stage in the bidding will require contenders to submit detailed proposals as to actual construction and delivery arrangements in accordance with the programme’s stipulations. Assessment of these offers will then lead to the nomination of a preferred bidder and award of a shipbuilding contract, although the latter is not expected before the spring of 2023.

The next-generation RFA vessels are required to have a total cargo capacity of up to 7,000m³ (250,000ft³) for dry stores, ammunition and equipment, with powering for a maximum, sustainable speed of 18 knots and the capability of making transfers in open seas to naval ships while underway at 12 knots.

Worth around £5m (US$6.8m) in each case, the competitive procurement phase (CPP) design contracts have been awarded to the following:

• Team Resolute, comprising Harland & Wolff, design and technical consultancy BMT, and Spanish shipbuilding and defence group Navantia;
• Indian naval and commercial shipbuilder Larsen & Toubro with Leidos Innovations, a UK subsidiary of the US-based Leidos Group;
• Team UK, made up of UK companies Babcock International, BAE Systems, Cammell Laird, and Rolls-Royce;
• UK services group Serco and Dutch shipbuilder Damen.

Team Resolute has targeted the FSS project from the outset, in line with the partners’ pursuance of opportunities in the UK defence, renewables and offshore markets. Navantia’s pertinent strengths include risk management experience in fulfilling orders for the Australian and Spanish navies, and its investment in the latest production technology, embracing digital Shipyard 4.0 methodology. Navantia would effect technology transfer to Harland & Wolff to facilitate a return to shipbuilding at Belfast after a gap of 18 years.

Larsen & Toubro is a major player in Indian engineering and naval shipbuilding, and its UK-registered partner in the competition, Leidos Innovations, straddles various markets with support in technological and business process transformation. The US parent gave new expression to its drive into the marine sector with the recent purchase of the Arlington, Virginia-domiciled naval architecture and marine engineering consultancy Gibbs & Co.

The Anglo-Dutch bidding combination of Serco and Damen Shipyards has a prestigious, collaborative reference by way of the newly-commissioned Australian icebreaking research vessel Nuyina, for which Serco was the prime contractor and Damen the builder. Serco’s role also embraces the management and operation of the ship. The company also provides support services to the Royal Navy.

The sole, purely UK grouping, Team UK, consists of interests central to UK naval shipbuilding (Babcock, BAE Systems), specialised shipbuilding (Cammell Laird), and engineering (Rolls-Royce).