Roundtable Discussion; The Future of Mineral Sands. Watch the video here.
Donald Trump is considering plans to push Nato members to increase defence spending to 3 per cent of GDP if he wins a second term in the White House, The Telegraph understands.
The former president thinks member states should be asked to contribute more to the alliance’s collective defence in light of threats from Russia and China.
He also believes the accounting rules should be changed so that spending on military assistance for Ukraine is not counted towards the target – a policy that would push several countries below the current target of 2 per cent of GDP.
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If it did go ahead, then Hanwha Ocean would presumably review the MOU between H&W and Austal and form a view on how they wanted to proceed with it. Hanwha Ocean have an interest in gaining a foothold in European shipyards to support their overseas ambitions.
Https://www.adsadvance.co.uk/hensoldt-uk-to-equip-rfa-s-new-fss-ships.html
Thought Nick Laird MD Spirit Aerosystems made a very good case for a full time regional hub to address regional industrial blindness and towards the end I think Ben mentioned a skills academy that was open to wider than H&W employees.
Https://www.engineersireland.ie/Engineers-Journal/More/Sponsored/accelerating-irelands-energy-transition-energy-ireland-2024-may-22-23-croke-park-dublin
Hopefully timely expert discussion here. NI speakers on the list.
It was a real pleasure to give evidence to the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee yesterday on defence spending in NI.
The committee's inquiry follows a report by Royal United Services Institute last summer which found that defence spending in NI is considerably lower than in other nations and regions and that defence spending can help level-up and drive significant industrial growth.
The report cited Harland & Wolff’s £77m investment into Belfast following the award of the FSS contract to Team Resolute as an example of how strategic defence procurement can help drive reindustrialisation and long-term, sustainable job creation.
The investment in technology, infrastructure and people is underpinning the transformation of the yard and will not only support FSS delivery but embed the latest technology across the group to increase our competitiveness in the European market and win new orders across our five markets of defence, commercial, energy, renewables and cruise and ferry.
During PMQs earlier this year, the PM said: “I have seen, with my own visits, the vital role that Northern Ireland is playing through the location of firms like Thales and Harland & Wolff. I am delighted [that we] specifically committed to examining how we can further bolster Northern Ireland’s share of the UK defence sector because it’s another essential pillar of our precious economic union.”
Https://www.naval-technology.com/news/type-26-for-norway-uk-explores-support-for-oslos-future-frigate/?cf-view
Officially disclosing the cooperating parties on 30 April 2024, UK Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge stated that the UK Government, Royal Navy, and UK defence prime BAE Systems, designer and manufacturer of the Type 26 anti-submarine warfare frigate, were “working jointly” on ways to support Norway’s future surface combatant requirements
Https://bidstats.uk/tenders/2024/W18/821755912
Covering up to 6 Coastal Patrol Vessels
1.5 years, £3m - need more detail in tender docs
Https://parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/ff58467b-1089-4bae-9e02-4585492a4c3f
Excellent job Ben Murray today.
Https://www.naval-technology.com/news/uk-navys-historic-ship-rfa-diligence-sold-for-ship-demolition/
Https://splash247.com/qatar-inks-worlds-largest-single-shipbuilding-order-in-china/
Middle Eastern liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer QatarEnergy has signed a contract with China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) for the construction of 18 supersize LNG carriers
Qatar’s LNG shipbuilding programme is the largest of its kind in the history of this sector, with 104 conventional newbuilds already firmed up under long-term charter contracts with multiple shipowners. The ships will support Qatar’s expanded LNG production capacity from the country’s North Field and Golden Pass in the US while meeting long-term fleet replacement requirements.
The latest series of Q-Maxes will cost about $6bn in total, QatarEnergy said. Shipowners in line, suggested by the industry sources, include Nakilat, which should take half of the orders, with the rest going to Chinese players.