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The UK government has signed a new seven-year contract worth £476 million ($956.8 million) that will protect UK jobs and ensure continued support of military operations across the globe.
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The UK Armed Forces will gain from a new long-term strategic sealift contract that ensures the transport of critical defence equipment and supplies while supporting 150 UK jobs.
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded the £476 million ($956.8 million) seven-year contract to UK-based Foreland Shipping Limited (FSL).
This agreement will bolster military operations, enhance national security, and prioritise domestic defence industry investment in line with the recently announced Defence Industrial Strategy. Defence Secretary John Healey outlined the strategy’s aims to drive economic growth, boost British jobs, and strengthen security by prioritising UK-based firms for government contracts.
Under this contract, FSL will operate four roll-on roll-off shipping vessels capable of transporting essential military equipment, such as armoured vehicles, complex weapons, and emergency medical supplies, across the globe.
These vessels are crewed by UK national-sponsored reserves, a specialised category of reservists drawn from the civilian workforce who are ready to support Armed Forces operations during crises.
The contract secures the employment of around 150 personnel nationwide, 97 per cent of whom are reservists. By maintaining this vital capability, the MOD not only safeguards skilled jobs but also contributes to economic growth, reflecting the government’s commitment to reform and investment under its Plan for Change.
UK Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle said: “By ensuring the efficient movement of equipment and supplies, strategic sealift is pivotal to our ability to respond rapidly to emerging threats, project global reach, and sustain critical operations.”
This strategic sealift capability is essential for meeting NATO commitments under the New Force Model and enables the UK to address current operational needs while preparing for future threats in an increasingly unpredictable world. It has long played a crucial role in supporting global military operations.
“The long-term nature of this contract guarantees stable employment for workers across the nation. This investment reflects the government’s commitment to supporting jobs, driving economic growth, and safeguarding the UK’s national security,” Minister Eagle said.
As part of the UK’s ongoing assistance to Ukraine, FSL vessels have conducted over 30 sailings, moving more than 23,000 tonnes of equipment, including significant ammunition shipments.
The head of MOD Defence Supply Chain Operations and Movements (DSCOM), Commodore Karen Rees, said: “Maintaining our strategic sealift capability is essential to our operational readiness and ability to respond to global crises. This contract reaffirms our commitment to collaborating with industry partners to ensure we can meet both immediate needs and long-term national security.”
Foreland Shipping Limited’s chairman, Major General (retired) Ian Copeland CB, said: “Foreland Shipping Limited (FSL) has, over the last 23 years, taken great pride in providing the strategic sealift capability for the Ministry of Defence. It has been a highly successful project for all concerned, and we are, therefore, delighted that we will now continue to provide this vital capability for the next contract period.”
The sealift capability also supported the recent Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise, Joint Protector, in Latvia, ensuring the rapid deployment and recovery of UK forces in the Atlantic region.
