Graeme Downie, the Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, has welcomed the £4 billion maritime partnership agreed between the UK and Indonesia, which the government says will secure around 1000 British jobs, with most based at the Rosyth dockyard in Fife, the UK Defence Journal understands.
According to the announcement, the agreement was confirmed during discussions between Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto at the G20 summit in South Africa.
The Maritime Partnership Programme will be led by Babcock, which operates the Rosyth site, and will see the UK and Indonesia jointly develop maritime capability for Indonesia’s navy as well as more than 1000 vessels for Indonesia’s fishing fleets. Government documents link this to Indonesia’s intention to increase seafood consumption and strengthen food security while supporting its fishing communities.
The programme involves constructing vessels in Indonesia using British shipbuilding expertise while providing design, engineering and support work in the UK. Officials estimate that the majority of the associated 1000 UK jobs will be located at Rosyth, with further roles at Babcock facilities in Bristol and Devonport. Ministers describe the deal as aligning with Indonesia’s ambition to expand food production while protecting marine biodiversity, supported in part by the UK’s Blue Planet Fund.
Downie linked the announcement to other recent international contracts involving UK maritime and defence exports. The government cites its recent 10 billion pound agreement with Norway on anti-submarine warfare destroyers, which it says supports 4000 UK jobs, and an 8 billion pound agreement with Türkiye for Typhoon fighter jets, which it says secures a further 20,000 roles.
Downie characterised the Indonesia deal as consistent with that trajectory. Downie said in the release “This is yet another example of the UK government achieving deals around the world that protect and grow high skilled jobs in Scotland.” He added “I am delighted to hear of this £4bn agreement between the UK and Indonesian governments that will secure 1000 jobs in the UK, with the majority of them at the Rosyth dockyard in my constituency.”
He also highlighted the contribution of the Rosyth workforce. Downie said “This is a huge achievement by the workforce at Rosyth and shows their skills and expertise is in demand across the world. That is Fife and Scottish knowledge and ingenuity being used to solve global problems.”
There’s something fishy about this deal.
Sparks might fly when module fabrication starts in Indonesia?
Joking apart I can see that happening with workers trained at Rosyth.
Getting the sticker price of A140 derivatives down is big issue….for RN in particular…..only way to do that is to use cheaper labour/facilities/energy. Which still leaves the cost of the fitout which is the real stumbling block.
Never heard of the Blue Planey Fund. According to the Gov website, “The Blue Planet Fund is a £500 million programme supporting developing countries to protect the marine environment and reduce poverty.” Ah, foreign aid. No doubt to clear up China’s mess.
Maybe they are building the 1000 fishing boats to put fish back in the Sea ?
Does this deal include seafood for the UK? They need to put maritime security in their area as well, to stop illegal fishing from China.
From memory, the UK exports 80% of It’s catch, not sure we need anymore.
Yep we are not a great fish eating nation..unless it’s cod or tuna in a can.. sort of one track mind on fish eating in the UK.
This is very very interesting, because Indonesia is very much planning to be a major naval power by 2045.. and it’s buying foreign expertise and foreign ships essentially testing its future partners in growth.. it wants a 247 ship navy for 2047.. it was planning to buy 6 FREMM and build 4 Dutch sigma class frigates ( 2500 ton frigates) locally as well as replace it 5 old frigates… so you can see it’s present imminent ambition of 6 large frigates and 4 small frigates..plus a future 5, but the FREMM deal went south ( I suspect because there was no local build option and no funding had ever been agreed) the Dutch sigma deal went south when DSNS decided not to invest in shipbuilding in Indonesia so they only ever built two.. and core to Indonesias maritime ambitions is home grown frigate and destroyer building.. they want an partnership not just to be a customer.
so far it replace those collapsed 8 frigates deals it’s purchased 6 new frigates 2 arrowheads from the Uk, which Babcock cleverly threw themselves straight into building in Indonesia,2 PLA from Italy ( with no build options) and 2 small istif class frigates from Turkey ( built in Indonesia as a replacement for the 2 cancelled Sigma class).. so every has know for some time there were at least 2-4 extra large frigates on the board and the French have spent the last year sniffing around and bribing the hell out of Indonesia to try and sell 2 FDI frigates 1 built in France and then moving production over to Indonesia, the Japanese have been telling everyone that will listen that they are definitely selling 4 Mogami class frigates to Indonesia… essentially there has been what could be described as international hysteria in regards to selling frigates to Indonesia as everyone thinks its ongoing to be one of the big pacific navies in about 20 years.
what the 4 billion deal with Babcock tells me is that the just maybe the Italians, French and Japanese may just have all lucked out and Indonesia has decided who’s its partnering with to build its future frigate fleet.. there was always a thought that if Babcock really got into it and the British government threw in behind there was up to 5 arrowheads and possibly more..infact if Babcock become the builder of choice for Indonesia there could be more than a total of 5 up for grabs.. as it’s got five old Dutch built Leander class frigates that are going
Normally I would welcome an announcement like this but the fishing boat aspect is concerning. The worlds oceans are already overfished as is Indonesia’s own waters. Australia will be concerned as it polices its own maritime zone for illegal fishing and has regularly intercepted Indonesian fisherman there.
Great to get a new pic of Venturer with QE.