Engineering news
Unions have criticised a government decision to build the Royal Navy's next generation of support tankers in South Korea.
Defence equipment minister Peter Luff said Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering had been chosen as the government's preferred bidder to build the four 37,000 tonne vessels, which will cost £452 million.
The GMB union, which has members in the shipbuilding industry, slammed the decision, saying it was bad for British industry.
Keith Hazlewood, GMB national secretary for shipbuilding, said: “There are gaps in the order books after the carriers and Type 26 frigates are finished. Placing orders for these 4 ships in UK yards is essential to retaining the skills and the capability in the UK. “Maintaining capability is a strategic issue. The MoD is risking UK defence capability by placing this order in Korea.”
Labour shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy also criticised the decision in his blog. He said: “This is more bad news for British industry. First we lose out to France over fast jets and now we lose out to South Korea over Royal Navy tankers.
“I'd like to see more of our defence industry with a 'made in Britain' stamp on it. The country will want the government to do more to support British industry.”
The MoD said that although a number of British companies took part in the competition, none submitted a final bid for the build contract.
The government said that UK firms will benefit from associated contracts – including the provision of key systems and equipment – worth £150 million. The winning design for the ships is by the British company BMT Defence Services.
The MoD's chief of defence materiel, Bernard Gray, said the competition for the contract had "sought to engage shipbuilders from across the globe".
"I believe the winning bidder's solution will offer the UK the best value for money," he said.
The four Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (Mars) tankers will maintain the navy's ability to refuel warships at sea and will provide support for amphibious, land and air forces.
At more than 200 metres in length, each ship will be as long as 14 double decker buses and will pump enough fuel to fill two Olympic-size swimming pools in an hour.
