New Belfast fabrication hall marks major milestone for UK shipbuilding
Published 03 November 2026
A new fabrication hall has officially opened in Belfast today, marking a significant step forward for UK shipbuilding and the delivery of three new Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, opened the new Resurgent Hall and unveiled a ceremonial plaque at Navantia UK’s iconic Harland & Wolff site, as part of the MOD supplier’s £157 million investment programme across its four UK yards, including £100M in Belfast alone.
The hall will play a central role in the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme, overseen by the National Armaments Director Group (NAD Group), to deliver three ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, which will supply dry stores, munitions, spare parts, and provisions to Royal Navy warships at sea.
The new 5,000 square metre facility is part of wider investment in the yard that includes the refurbishment of the famous yellow David and Goliath cranes, robotic plasma-cutting technology and a new mechanised panel line, creating a modern manufacturing environment.
Keith Bethell, NAD Group Maritime Director, said:
"The opening of the Resurgent Hall is a clear sign that growth in UK shipbuilding is happening right now, in Belfast. This investment is renewing our industrial capability, creating skilled jobs and apprenticeships, and strengthening the supply chains that underpin our national resilience. It gives us the modern capability we need to deliver the Fleet Solid Support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and lays the foundations for Belfast to compete for future UK naval and maritime programmes."
The investment is driving growth in jobs, skills and the wider economy. A growing workforce and expanding apprenticeship programme at the Belfast yard are building the next generation of shipbuilding talent, while Northern Ireland suppliers across the local supply chain are benefiting from new contracts and economic activity linked to the recapitalisation.
Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard said:
“Few sights in the UK are more evocative of our industrial heritage than the Samson and Goliath cranes, and it’s fitting that this new hall sits on the shoulders of these iconic giants.
“Belfast continues with its proud shipbuilding history by building the modern shipbuilding capability the country needs today, with this new fabrication hall at the heart of it.
“Navantia’s £157 million investment across its UK yards shows what sustained investment in shipbuilding delivers: good jobs, growing skills, and the support ships our Navy needs.”
The opening brought together representatives from government, the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Navantia UK, suppliers and the Harland & Wolff workforce to mark the delivery of the yard's transformation and look ahead to its role in future UK shipbuilding programmes.
Northern Ireland Office Minister Sarah Owen, said:
“Standing in Navantia’s state-of-the-art fabrication hall is a great reminder of the scale of UK Government defence investment in Northern Ireland, with £460 million spent here by the Ministry of Defence in the last year - equivalent to £240 per person!
“This impressive facility is a key milestone in the UK Government’s Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme, which has invested around £100 million in Belfast alone.
“Navantia is building on Belfast’s historic shipbuilding legacy while supporting hundreds of skilled jobs and apprenticeships, ensuring that it remains at the heart of the UK’s defence industry while boosting economic growth.”
Navantia UK is prime contractor for the FSS programme and is leading on fabrication and final assembly of the three FSS ships, RFA Resurgent, RFA Reliant and RFA Resourceful, backed by £1.6 billion of Ministry of Defence (MOD) funding.
Navantia UK chief executive Donato Martinez said:
“Shipbuilding is returning to Belfast. We are turning Harland & Wolff into one of the most advanced shipyards in Europe. “Our new fabrication hall will be equipped to build state-of-the-art ships to serve and defend the UK for generations to come.
“We’ve named it Resurgent for a reason.
“Jobs, investment and activity are resurgent in shipbuilding.
“Belfast is at the heart of that revival, and the fleet solid support programme is the first of many projects we aim to deliver here for the Ministry of Defence.”
