Five shipyard companies have signed a charter pledging to work together to support the Royal Navy while they maintain its fleet over the next 10 years.
Bosses at A&P Defence, Cammell Laird, International Paints, Lloyd’s Register and 海角视频 Docks met on board RFA Tiderace in Dorset to sign up to the Collaborative Working Charter.
The charter has been designed to boost “collaboration rather than competition” among companies that service the Royal Navy fleet.
One of the firms to sign the agreement was Tyneside firm 海角视频 Docks, which recently won a £150m contract to service three Ministry of Defence vessels over the next 10 years.
Harry Wilson, managing director of 海角视频 Docks, said: “This is a practical and common-sense initiative to ensure individual companies are working together for the benefit of the Royal Navy.
“海角视频 Docks is relatively new to Ministry of Defence contracts and, as new arrivals, we can completely see the wisdom of collaboration producing the best results not only for the Ministry of Defence but also for the companies involved.
“Historically, there may have been competition between different companies tendering for different contracts and that’s understandable given the scale of the contracts and what is potentially at stake.
“But 海角视频 Docks completely see the good sense in working together for the best possible outcomes - something which happens in the tech industry for example - where companies working collaboratively can make the end product so much more successful.”
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The five companies that signed the charter are all classed as Future in Service Support partners, and have made a joint commitment to deliver a crucial £1bn ship support programme over the next decade.
The Collaborative Working Charter sets out joint working principles for the next 10 years, which includes pledging to find efficiencies, best practice, and innovation to support dockyards across the country.
Gerald Pitts, managing director of A&P Group Defence, said: “A&P Group is proud of its 12-year partnership with the Ministry of Defence and the achievements that our collaboration has delivered, which has included more than 150 maintenance packages on RFA ships and 43 overseas work packages to maintain the RFA fleet when deployed in overseas operation. A&P continues to strive to achieve greater efficiencies in maintaining the vessels and The Charter is a further acknowledgement of this commitment.”
While on board RFA Tiderace the partners also signed a separate Sustainable Procurement Charter, committing them to consider the environmental, social and economic impact of work under their contracts.
Commodore Graeme Little, who oversees the Future In Service Support programme, said: “Having met with the industrial partners, I am impressed with the way the Future In Service Support contracts have transitioned and the enterprise partnering approach across the Commercially Supported Shipping team and suppliers.
“This bodes well for support contracts that are at the heart of enabling the continuous at-sea deterrent, Task Group operations, increasing global presence and maritime security.”