Operator sought for first new London shipyard in a century

The Port of London Authority (PLA) is working with property developers, London & Regional, and the Royal Docks Team (RDT) to deliver the first new shipyard on the Thames for over a century at Albert Island in the London Borough of Newham.

The planned shipyard forms part of Albert Island, London & Regional’s 25-acre, multimillion-pound industrial regeneration scheme in the Royal Docks.

The 3.3-acre shipyard development at Albert Island, one of three strategic sites in the Royal Docks Enterprise Zone, already has outline planning permission. The PLA is currently seeking expressions of interest from potential operators of the facility at the eastern end of the Royal Docks. All expressions of interest must be received by 16 July 2021.

The shipyard is expected to feature a boat lift and other infrastructure. The selected operator will be expected to obtain all relevant consents in accordance with the policies in the London Plan, Newham Local Plan, plus permits/licenses from the PLA, the Marine Management Organisation and the Environment Agency.

PLA says the regeneration presents a unique opportunity for a skilled maritime operator to develop dedicated facilities and highly skilled jobs for local people, serving the UK’s busiest inland waterway.

Use of the Thames has been growing rapidly in recent years, with increasing passenger services, barge movements and deep-sea trade.

The development of a London shipyard is in line with wider Government moves to reinvigorate shipbuilding in the UK; an updated National Shipbuilding Strategy is due to be released later this year. This is expected to take in broader merchant and other vessels, alongside the current strategy’s focus on vessels for the Royal Navy.

PLA chief executive, Robin Mortimer, explains: “The Thames has been the centre of a river renaissance over the last decade, with continuing investment in new vessels and services of all kinds. This shipyard opportunity has major significance, as it will put the essential repair and maintenance facilities at the heart of the busy river. Once developed it will mean services can be provided swiftly, saving operators time taking vessels to yards off the river and minimising downtime.”

Shipping Minister, Robert Courts MP, says: “Building this new shipyard is a fantastic opportunity to support hundreds of jobs in the UK and forge ahead with the Government’s ambition to reinvigorate shipbuilding right across the country.”

The GLA supports development of a new strategic-scale boatyard through the London Plan. The centre would be a transport engineering hub and will benefit from significant investment already underway across the area, including transport infrastructure and local education and training provision.

A 2020 study of the economic impact of Thames’ operations found that there are 780 full-time equivalent jobs in the London Borough of Newham linked to the river, and that those operations generate value added each year of £162 million.

The Mayor of Newham and Co-Chair of the Royals Docks Enterprise Zone Board, Rokhsana Fiaz, adds: “The river has always been of strategic importance to Newham and this exciting and historic development of a new shipyard at Albert Island in the Royal Docks will create another major asset for the borough. Most significantly, as part of my community wealth building agenda, we’ve agreed to a target with London & Regional that 35 per cent of the construction workforce and many of the shipbuilding workforce will be recruited through the council’s Our Newham Work jobs brokerage service.”