UK ministers have identified Inchgreen Dry Dock in Greenock as a potential hub for defence manufacturing, but urged site owner Peel Ports to “step up” after years of decline, according to the Greenock Telegraph.
At a summit in Inverclyde chaired by Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander, the dry dock was put firmly on the radar of the UK’s largest defence firms.
The meeting, which followed talks between Alexander and Inverclyde MP Martin McCluskey, now serving as energy security minister, aimed to showcase the potential of Inchgreen for future contracts as defence spending increases.
The Telegraph reported that Alexander, visiting the site before the summit, said he was struck by its scale and untapped capacity. “I walked Inchgreen this morning and even though I know Inverclyde, I had not realised the scale of the Inchgreen site, the largest dry dock in the whole of the west coast of the United Kingdom, that was able to berth for Queen Elizabeth,” he said. “It gives you the scale of the opportunity.”
He added that the site had seen “remedial work” and now has a new electrical substation and significant facilities, but insisted there is “a responsibility on Peel Ports as well as the local authority to seize the opportunities of the future.”
“There is an asset here that for more than 20 years has not fulfilled its economic potential,” Alexander said. “If you get this right, it has the potential to secure new opportunities for the future.”
The intervention follows years of controversy over Inchgreen’s condition and management. The Telegraph noted that campaigners have long criticised the site’s decline since its 2003 transfer to Peel Ports, and that recent “secret” plans to spend £3 million of public money on upgrades were met with opposition after previous redevelopment attempts failed.
McCluskey told the paper that the new focus on defence jobs could give Inverclyde a renewed industrial footing. “Whatever work we end up with on the site, whether defence or other work, we need to move at pace,” he said. “I believe that this site is the best chance we have got for jobs and manufacturing in this area. We need to take advantage of the assets we have got in terms of maritime and river, that is where our future is.”
Both politicians pointed to opportunities linked to recent defence spending announcements, including £250 million in new UK defence proposals, £182 million for technical excellence colleges, and the £10 billion contract for Type 26 frigates currently being built on the Clyde.
According to the Telegraph, both men made clear that any revival of Inchgreen’s fortunes would depend on partnership between the UK Government, Inverclyde Council, and Peel Ports, which was urged to take a more proactive role after years of neglect.
What work would it realistically get other than QE refit work? MRSS or whatever the latest rebrand is will be compact enough to use Rosyth and Birkenhead, and in total we are going to have fewer large ships in 5-10 years time than we did 5 years ago, unless the Amphib fleet is miraculously recapitalised. It’s a huge dock that will require a lot of investment to properly get going when you include the fact that there are next to no warehousing, fabrication, and office facilities on the site any more, which is probably why Peel Ports have been sitting on their hands all these years.
Emergency dry docking for QEC and other large ships could be handy
It might be a new site for Ferguson’s to move to. Give them a chance to expand. That huge drydock. Could be serrated for use .
That huge drydock could be a game changer for Ferguson to move into. More space and that drydock could be segregated into separated into different drydocks for different jobs.
it’s a shame that opportunities like this go so long before someone identifies a place’s potential like this. manufacturing capacity hass been left to wither on the vine. get cracking on it now while it can be done faster than leaving it AND THEN decide to do it.
You only have to look at Rosyth and see how many cruise ships are regularly parked there to see there is plenty of work for ship repair and refurbishment.
However fat government contracts won’t deliver that kind of work.
If peel ports is not up to the job then the government should force a sale and offer emergency docking contract as a sweetener.
Especially with Faslane near by this could be very important.
Yes. Peel Ports have clung onto the real estate hoping for something for too long, refusing any realistic deal. Time to bring in eminent domain.
With out knowing the facilities or anything about the condition of the dock, could this be a potential dock for the fitting out of the T26 If the drum beat of the hulls is picked up?
There’s no facilities there
I’d hop so, fitting out seems to take forever to finish.
Our ABC Rodney has mentioned this strategic asset often.
Nice huge drydock however, no warehouses, and no workshops. To be fair… with the total lack of infrastructure, and that dock being so enormous, I cannot see what it might actually be used for.