Navantia UK’s Methil yard transformation continues with Seahorse

A big day was marked at Navantia UK’s yard in Methil, Fife today, as the company christened Seahorse, a transport barge built to support the Royal Navy’s £1.6 billion Fleet Solid Support programme.

The barge will carry forward sections of the FSS ships between Appledore and Belfast, and represents an £8 million investment by Navantia UK in the Methil facility. It is the first major project completed at the yard since Navantia UK launched operations there in January 2025.

Speaking to the assembled workforce, CEO Donato Martinez did not shy away from how difficult the start had been. “My first visit here was back in October 2024. The yard was not busy. It was a tough time, really tough. The start wasn’t easy either.” From those beginnings, the yard has grown from 180 workers to 260, with 54 apprentices now in training and a further 100 jobs expected.

Martinez described the moment as bittersweet in the way only shipbuilding can be. “In shipbuilding, there’s always this moment where we have to get the vessels to leave our facilities. Today, probably by the end of the week, we will be saying goodbye to this pontoon.” But he was equally clear that the yard is not standing still. “We started with around 180 people. Now we are 260 and Methil will keep growing. We just need to keep delivering.”

Ross, an apprentice welder at the yard, told the crowd that Seahorse was the first project he had ever worked on. “When you’re on the shop floor, the scope and the size of the jobs become much bigger and that’s when the difficulties come in. The true value of this yard is the experience you get from the tradesmen.”

Mark, a production manager, was equally proud, saying “We should all be proud. We’ve done a really, really good job with this. The way this all came together is us, the supervisors and the men, talking to each other on a daily basis.” He added that communication would be even more important on the next project, which will be five times the size of Seahorse. “We’ve proved that we’ve done it on this, and it’s got to be a bigger scale next. But we’ll do it.”

Tom, another member of the workforce, said it had been a steep learning curve. “There were many challenges throughout the project that we managed to overcome. That would not have been possible without all the teams working together. Every individual item had to come through from all the different workshops into workshop three to get the final assembly done. It all came together and they managed to get it done in time, which is a big achievement for everyone.”

Richard Baker, the Labour MP for Glenrothes and Mid Fife, told UK Defence Journal the transformation at the yard had been remarkable. “It’s just two years since Labour ministers working with Navantia had to save this yard. What’s happened here is transformational. The Methil yard is a proud part of our history here but more importantly it’s now a really important part of the future.”

Baker pointed to the numbers as proof. “The increased workforce, over 80 more workers than were here before, and now over 50 apprentices. We’re talking about employment today, but also the skills of the future here at Methil. This could not be more important for this area.”

With Seahorse done, the yard is already moving on to its next challenge. A second barge, five times the size, is due for delivery by next summer. An export contract with a foreign customer will also keep the workforce busy in the meantime, with discussions ongoing about extending that programme further.

Martinez said the yard had earned the right to be trusted with bigger contracts. “We have another 100 people in the pipeline. We are developing a huge capability here in Methil and we deliver. When we set an objective and when we have clarity on the outcomes, this yard delivers on its commitments. This is one example of many to come. We will be honoured if the UK MoD puts its confidence and trust in Navantia UK to deliver the Houston project.”

Baker backed that call, making the case for Programme Euston, the Royal Navy’s programme to build floating dry docks to maintain its submarine fleet. “Seahorse is just the start here at Methil with Navantia. If we’re spending record amounts on defence contracts, and we are, what’s vital is that the investment for those contracts comes to UK yards, comes back to the UK economy. The success of Seahorse, the fact that we’ve got more work coming to this yard, shows Methil is ready for Programme Euston. The logical thing, the sensible thing, is to use the fantastic facilities we have here.”

Seahorse will leave the yard soon but at Methil, the work is just getting started.