Belfast shipyard opens new hall for three Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships

Navantia UK has opened its Resurgent fabrication hall at Harland & Wolff in Belfast, expanding capacity for three new Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships.

The Ministry of Defence's announcement on Monday 2 November says the extended hall adds 5,000 square metres of production space, with cranes, robotic plasma-cutting equipment and a mechanised panel line.

Around £100 million is being invested in Belfast within Navantia's £157 million programme across four UK shipyards. The ministry says the Belfast investment supports more than 900 skilled jobs and apprenticeships.

The yard will undertake fabrication and final assembly for RFA Resurgent, Reliant and Resourceful under the £1.6 billion Fleet Solid Support programme.

The vessels are designed to replenish Royal Navy task groups at sea. All three are due to enter service in the early 2030s; the ministry says construction is on schedule and within budget.