Navantia UK Brings in Local Firms to Support the Revitalisation of Harland & Wolff

Navantia UK is working with multiple Northern Irish SMEs on essential upgrades to Harland & Wolff (H&W) in Belfast as the Fleet Solid Support (FSS) programme kicks into full gear.  

Cleary Contracting, a second-generation Northern Irish business, was recently awarded a £10 million contract to help drive the revitalisation of H&W. Additional SMEs include Barrett Steel Ireland, which provides steel sections, Briggs Equipment Ireland, which supports material handling equipment, commercial vehicles, plant and equipment hire, and McKinstry, which manages waste services. Wilson Utilities & Plant Hire Ltd is supporting the construction of a hardstand area for steel plate storage and has completed dock drainage works.    

Working in partnerships with local businesses, Navantia UK realises the UK Government’s ambition, set out in the Defence Industrial Strategy, to position defence as a key engine for growth by encouraging collaboration, boosting local economies and creating a sustainable pipeline of talent across Northern Ireland and beyond.  

At the heart of the modernisation project is a new 5,000-square-meter extension alongside modifications to existing fabrication halls to prepare for specialist welding and lifting equipment. The programme employs 50 Cleary Contracting staff working on site. This includes 10 directly employed staff and 40 subcontractors, representing nearly 20% of the Cleary Construction annual turnover. The programme has generated economic activity across Northern Ireland’s supply chain as it aims to establish Belfast as a centre of excellence in shipbuilding.    

Donato Martínez, CEO of Navantia UK commented:

“Navantia UK is operating a local-first ethos to ensure contracts are awarded to local businesses whenever possible. Collaboration is at the heart of our operational model and will be used for FSS and other programmes. By building strong and enduring partnerships with the local supply chain, we are stronger and faster in our delivery for customers. Our collective growth is boosting UK supply chain readiness and strengthening UK sovereign capabilities.”   

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard, said:

“The revitalisation of Harland & Wolff demonstrates exactly how defence can be a powerful engine for growth across the UK. By partnering with local businesses, Navantia UK is not only modernising critical shipbuilding infrastructure but creating sustainable, high-skilled jobs and strengthening our sovereign defence capabilities. This investment is about more than building ships—it’s about building a resilient industrial base that will serve our Armed Forces for decades to come.”  

Cleary workers are taking on highly complex tasks including cutting and restructuring floors to support new assembly lines. Adding to the challenge, Cleary Contracting was asked to carry out unexploded ordnance surveys due to the yard’s history of bombings during World War II, a necessary step for such a historic location.     

Jonathan Cleary, Operations Director at Cleary said:

“Our success has always been built on repeat business and long-term client relationships.

“We’re delighted to be working with Navantia UK and to see their continued investment and commitment to the shipyard’s future.”    

Cleary was initially appointed two years ago to support the FSS programme, tasked with extending Harland & Wolff’s fabrication halls to accommodate a new panel line. Following the acquisition of Harland & Wolff by Navantia UK, Cleary Contracting was reappointed to ensure continuity for what has rapidly become one of the region’s most significant infrastructure projects.     

Overall, the revitalisation work across Harland & Wolff includes installation of cutting-edge equipment such as robotic plasma cutters, a fully mechanised flat panel line, and automated quality control systems. Upgrades to delivery systems, stockyard management, and digital integration are also progressing, ensuring FSS vessels can be delivered with greater speed and precision.     

Navantia UK is investing £90m in the recapitalisation of Harland & Wolff in Belfast. This is a part of a wider £115m investment in Navantia UK’s four yards in Methil, Arnish, Appledore and Belfast. This investment represents one of the most significant industrial revitalisation projects in the UK, strengthening the UK’s industrial base and sovereign defence capabilities.     

The transformation will initially benefit 600 existing Belfast roles with the potential to grow the workforce in the long term by adding more high-skilled jobs, including positions in computer-aided design, advanced manufacturing, and digital systems integration. As work on the FSS programme accelerates, Navantia UK aims to employ 1,500 by 2029–30, and around 2,000 by the early 2030s.