Shipbuilder Balaena has welcomed the decision by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands to jointly procure a new class of amphibious transport ships under a £2.4 billion programme, describing the move as a major opportunity for British shipbuilding that will strengthen global security, deepen the relationship between the two nations and benefit the UK’s shipbuilding communities, the company stated.
The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten during a meeting of NATO leaders in Ankara on 7 July. It will see the ships built in UK shipyards alongside Dutch industry, based on a Dutch design, with each nation operating four vessels. At 160 metres long and 15,000 tonnes, the ships will transport troops, vehicles and equipment, including drones, with flight decks designed to operate current and future long-range uncrewed and autonomous systems.
Balaena has positioned itself as a candidate to construct the vessels. Simon Gillett, the company’s Chief Executive, said in a statement: “Balaena stands ready to build the 160-meter vessels from our major construction facilities in Birkenhead and the North East of England. Our facilities have the industrial capability and capacity to support complex warship construction, and we continue to deliver major military vessels in the UK.”
Gillett pointed to the firm’s recent naval work as evidence of that capability. “In 2026 we have delivered key structural components of the Type 26 frigate programme and other Sovereign defence platforms on behalf of BAE. We have also previously delivered significant units of the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers,” he said, as quoted in the press release.
The company also cited its commercial order book. “Our commercial shipbuilding activity remains strong. In 2026, we will also deliver three commercial ferries, the Royal Daffodil for Mersey Travel and two ferries for Western Ferries,” Gillett said, adding: “Balaena and our established UK supply chain is ready to play its part in the delivering the new amphibious transport ships, which will benefit our workforce and shipbuilding communities across the UK.”
The joint programme, officially known as the Amphibious Transport Ship in line with Dutch naming conventions, supersedes the UK’s earlier Multi-Role Strike Ship concept, which initially envisaged up to six vessels replacing the two Albion-class landing platform docks, the three Bay-class landing ships and RFA Argus before budget pressures scaled back those plans.
Balaena is not the only British yard to signal interest in the work. Navantia UK, owner of Harland & Wolff in Belfast, has also issued a statement on the programme, with competition for the construction contracts expected among the UK’s major shipbuilders.
What about a partnership spanning the Irish sea? It seems to me with their extensive refit experience, CL are well set to do fit-out. With the recent investments, Belfast is much better equipped for bulk steel fabrication, but they lack recent experience building complete ships. The two yards working together could therefore complement each other quite nicely.
Fitout is the stumbling block.
Automation gets you so far with hull subsections and some modules being very efficient.
Fitout is quite a different story. And it is essential that workers understand MILSPEC construction detailing.
Yep and I think it’s probably Belfast’s weakness, the local labour/skills pool isn’t nearly as big as NW England. Amphibs have lots of cabins, loads of plumbing & electrics, well deck/elevators etc. it’s a lot different to a tanker or bulk stores ship.
The governments export activities have ensured we have enough work to sustain three yards for decades. Opening up a fourth would put all that in jeopardy. These vessel should be tendered between either Belfast or Rosyth with other yards like CL doing block work.
If we intend to seriously upgrade our armed forces and also go for export orders then we also need to increase capacity – an extra yard makes sense and would demonstrate a committment to growth. In 1990 we had 7 or 8 yards, not 3… so going up to 4 still isn’t anywhere near a Cold War footing.
I think we all know it’s most likely going to Belfast and CVV will go to Rosyth, it just makes sense. But CL are in fairness ahead of both, having recently completed several whole ships. Albeit they failed on T45 PIP, and BAE had to take it over.
Why four ships for each country? The Netherlands is a very small country with fewer global responsibilities than the United Kingdom, as far as I know.
That shows the situation of this government; they don’t want to spend on defense. The Netherlands spends more than the United Kingdom on its armed forces considering its population and importance in the world, as does almost any country in the world proportionally.
The four Dutch ships are to replace two Rotterdam class LPDs and four Holland class OPVs. The new ships are far larger than double the size of the Holland class, so they will be an increase in overall displacement and a decrease in hull numbers.
The UK and the Dutch have run joint marine exercises for a long time. It was always supposed to be a feature of the littoral strike/response groups. So having a uniform ship class has advantages.