Imagery shows the first section of a ship, the third of eight Type 26 Frigates HMS Belfast, in the new Janet Harvey Hall at the BAE Systems Maritime shipyard in Govan, Glasgow, for the first time.
The Govan shipyard in Glasgow has reached a significant milestone with its new ‘frigate factory’—officially named the Janet Harvey Hall—now hosting its first ship block, belonging to HMS Belfast.
A big milestone for Clyde shipbuilding this week, as the first block of what will become HMS Belfast rolls into the new Janet Harvey Hall, which is now nearly complete.
This will be the first time a ship has been built fully under cover in the Govan shipyard’s 160-year history. pic.twitter.com/mIKU7Jy7mZ
— Paul Sweeney (@PaulJSweeney) December 22, 2024
Named in honour of Janet Harvey, who joined the Clyde shipyards as an electrician during World War II, the hall pays tribute to her trailblazing role in a male-dominated industry. Harvey’s legacy as a pioneer in shipbuilding was further recognised when she was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Engineering by Glasgow Caledonian University at the age of 96. She passed away on Armistice Day in 2023, aged 101.
Paul Sweeney, Glasgow Labour MSP and a former BAE Systems shipyard employee, described the facility as a transformative development. “This new hall will probably become the largest building by enclosed volume in Glasgow, if not Scotland, and will make a dramatic impact on the Clydeside skyline,” he said. Sweeney also spoke on the competitive edge this facility brings, stating, “I hope that the competitive advantages it brings will help to reassert Glasgow’s global reputation for having shipbuilding capabilities that are of the highest quality.”
The Janet Harvey Hall is designed to accommodate the construction of two Type 26 frigates simultaneously, providing a controlled environment that shields the shipbuilding process from adverse weather conditions. This advancement overcomes historical constraints that prevented the construction of full ships longer than 75 metres under cover at Govan.
The construction of the facility has involved over 6,000 tonnes of steel and 20,000 cubic metres of concrete. Once fully operational, the hall will feature two 100-tonne cranes and two 20-tonne cranes, enabling up to 500 workers per shift to focus on frigate construction. The site is expected to sustain approximately 1,700 jobs in Scotland and 2,300 jobs across the wider UK supply chain, significantly boosting both the local and national economy.
The vast new hall is part of a £300 million transformation project aimed at revolutionising shipbuilding on the River Clyde.
Jen Blee, Business Operations Director of BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, commented previously, “It’s fitting that a pioneer such as Janet will remain synonymous with our efforts to re-imagine complex shipbuilding on the upper Clyde. Today, women like Janet are much more commonplace in our yards than they once were, and their numbers and impact continue to grow.”
Janet Harvey is shown below.
Janet’s niece, June Cofflet, expressed the family’s pride, saying, “Janet would have been absolutely delighted to have the ship build hall named after her. She was so very proud of the work she did during the war. As a family, we are delighted that BAE Systems has chosen our aunt’s name to go on the ship build hall; it is a real honour.”
The project is expected to sustain approximately 1,700 jobs in Scotland and an additional 2,300 jobs across the wider UK supply chain. The image below shows how it will look.
The Type 26 frigates are designed for anti-submarine warfare, high-intensity air defence, and can be adapted for roles such as humanitarian aid and medical support. The new facility will ensure that these ships are built efficiently and to the highest standards, and a bit quicker too.
No fan of he last government but certainly shipbuilding didn’t do to badly. Investment at Barrow, Govan and Rosyth. H&W were investing before being denied a loan guarantee and being bought out. Exports of T31 to Poland and Indonesia. Canada and Australia building T26, and interest from Norway over the past year. Roll Royce investing of the back of AUKUS. Even CL built a ship. Hopefully this momentum can be built upon further enhancing competitiveness of shipbuilding in the UK.
I thought the government was going to speed up building these ships.
or has this not started yet, after all our enemies may not be so patient. just a thought.
merry xmas everyone..