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(Alliance News) - Harland & Wolff Group Holdings PLC on Tuesday said that it has submitted a planning application to extend its fabrication halls in Belfast, as part of a recapitalisation plan for the Fleet Solid Support programme.
Harland & Wolff is a London-based company focused on strategic infrastructure projects and physical asset lifecycle management. Its Belfast yard is one of Europe's largest heavy engineering facilities.
The Fleet Solid Support programme refers to a GBP1.6 billion contract awarded at the end of last year to a Harland & Wolff consortium. The group, known as Team Resolute, won the contract following a competition programme.
Harland & Wolff, alongside BMT and Navantia UK, beat out other competitors to supply three naval support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in the UK.
The contract is set to invest around GBP100 million in UK shipyards, including GBP77 million of infrastructure at Harland & Wolff's Belfast and Appledore shipyards. It is expected to create around 900 jobs at the Belfast site alone.
The company told investors on Tuesday that its planning application was part of the recapitalisation plan for the FSS programme.
The application is for a 4,997 square metre extension to the existing fabrication halls, facilitating the automated fabrication of panels of up to 16 square metres that will be used for the programme, in addition to later projects.
Harland & Wolff currently operates from fabrication halls in Belfast, and it is these halls that will incorporate the majority of the its upgrades. It said that as part of this plan, demolition works on certain existing structures in the yard will be undertaken before the end of the month to facilitate the construction of the new facilities.
"It is pleasing to see that the regeneration plans that have been worked on since the acquisition of Belfast Facility in December 2019 are now submitted. The extension of the fabrication halls will give us a substantially improved production flow, making us more efficient and cost-effective," said Chief Executive Officer John Wood.
Harland & Wolff shares were trading 4.6% higher at 15.90 pence each in London on Tuesday afternoon.
By Holly Beveridge; Alliance News reporter
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