<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The subsidiary of the Spanish public company Navantia in the United Kingdom (Navantia UK) has reached a commercial agreement for the purchase of the four Harland & Wolff shipyards, which will ensure the continuity of a thousand jobs.</strong></h4> According to the British Government, the agreement, which is subject to regulatory approval, guarantees the future of the four world-renowned Harland & Wolff shipyards in Northern Ireland (Belfast), Scotland (Arnish and Methil) and Devon (Appledore) and will protect the existing terms and conditions of the workers. It will also guarantee compliance with the British Ministry of Defence's contract with Navantia - a Spanish public company dedicated to civil and military shipbuilding - to build three Royal Navy ships that would transport ammunition, spare parts and supplies to the United Kingdom's aircraft carriers, within the framework of the Fleet Solid Support Program (FSS). “With this agreement, which combines the great capacity of Navantia UK with the solid experience of the four British shipyards of Harland & Wolff, we take a further step in the industrial and defence collaboration between Spain and the United Kingdom,” said the British ambassador to Spain, Alex Ellis. “This collaboration also drives economic growth in our two European countries and strengthens our defence capabilities, something fundamental for both governments and their citizens,” he added. “This agreement is an important vote of confidence in the United Kingdom by Navantia, which will not only ensure the future of shipbuilding in the United Kingdom, but will protect a thousand jobs across the country and bring future investment to shipbuilding throughout the United Kingdom,” said the Secretary of Business and Trade of the United Kingdom, Jonathan Reynolds. The agreement with Navantia “strengthens our sovereign capacity to support the operations of the Royal Navy around the world, while building the industrial partnerships that will drive growth,” said the Secretary of Defence, John Healey.
