Construction activity has officially commenced at Navantia’s Puerto Real shipyard in Spain for the United Kingdom’s Fleet Solid Support program, as production of key ship modules gets underway. The work represents a significant step forward in delivering three new logistics vessels for the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
The program is being executed through a collaborative shipbuilding effort involving Navantia UK’s Appledore shipyard, Harland and Wolff’s Belfast facility, and Navantia’s Spanish operations. Steel cutting for the vessels began last month in Appledore, while the start of module construction in Puerto Real confirms the program’s progression from design into manufacturing, following the signing of the £1.6 billion contract three years ago.
Modules produced in Spain will be transported to Harland and Wolff’s Belfast shipyard, where final assembly, systems integration, and sea trials will take place ahead of delivery. The three Fleet Solid Support ships are expected to become operational by 2032, providing critical replenishment capabilities for the UK’s naval forces.
Once in service, the vessels will support the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group by enabling sustained operations at sea without the need to return to port. Operated by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, each ship will measure 216 meters in length and displace approximately 39,000 tons, making them among the largest vessels in the UK fleet and a key enabler of long-range naval power projection.
