As global tensions escalate and pressure mounts on NATO members to strengthen defence capabilities, the inaugural episode of The Maritime Forecast Podcast examines whether UK shipbuilding can seize the moment or risks missing a vital opportunity.
Hosted by Darren Jones, Maritime Director at Develop Consulting, the discussion brought together Tom Chant MBE, CEO of the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI), and Steve Boam, CEO of Develop Consulting, to explore the future of UK vessel building against a backdrop of renewed defence urgency and international competition.
Mr Chant opened by highlighting the gap between government strategy and actual orders. “Everybody’s waiting for the defence investment plan,” he said. “There are a number of projects hanging on this. People are exceedingly keen to see where the money is actually going to be spent.”
He warned that waiting comes at a cost. “You cannot just wait for these opportunities to come along,” Mr Chant said. “The industry is having to lay people off at the moment, which is quite incredible to hear.”
Mr Boam drew parallels with rail manufacturing, where similar cyclical challenges have forced transformation. “Bombardier in Derby used to employ 1,500 people, now employing circa 300 just to keep the site alive,” he said.
He added: “We need to be very good at how we set our factories up, how we set our process up, and how we get things out at the right cost, at the right time.”
The podcast explored whether operational excellence could be UK shipbuilding’s competitive advantage against subsidised international yards. Mr Boam explained: “Lean is a methodology that can be applied to anything from the NHS through to all manufacturing, regardless of volume. The principle is to build things in a simpler way, to make them more effective, efficient, with higher quality and safety.”
Mr Chant argued that sovereign capability must be the priority. “Almost any other country that does this looks at sovereign capability first,” he said. “You cannot sustain a supply chain on naval shipbuilding alone. You need civil shipbuilding to give that drumbeat of work and opportunity for investment.”
The discussion also addressed recent export success, including Babcock’s record Norwegian order, and the shift towards a hybrid navy with autonomous vessels supporting traditional platforms. “It’s that smaller, hybrid, remotely operated world the Navy is moving to,” Mr Chant said, “backed up by the exquisite items being manufactured in Scotland.”
Mr Jones concluded by emphasising the urgency. “I think what strikes me is this: you answer to the rest of the world, because that’s the only way to compete on the world stage,” he said. “Shipyards need to compare themselves against other industries that have already transformed, not just other shipyards.”
The Maritime Forecast is a new podcast series brought to you by Develop Consulting in partnership with the Society of Maritime Industries, exploring the trends, challenges and opportunities shaping UK maritime.
To listen or watch the full conversation, visit develop-consulting.co.uk/podcasts or on Youtube, find the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
