'Testing and demanding process' pays off as new jobs maintaining Royal Navy vessels coming to Gosport
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High-skilled jobs maintaining Royal Navy vessels will be coming to Gosport after three vital deals were agreed.
UK Docks Marine Services has won contracts worth £84m to look after 194 Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels. Managed at Victoria Quay, the work will include overseeing the Vahana workboats and Ministry of Defence police craft.
Managing director Jonathan Wilson said he was delighted to secure the agreements against fierce competition. The firm won three of the nine lots offered in the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) Boats In Service Support Contract 2026, securing roles in Gosport for years to come while providing scope for new positions. Contracts will run until 2033.
“It was a testing and demanding process but it was worth it and congratulations to all involved,” Mr Wilson said. “It is fantastic news for the company and our staff, who have been building a reputation for successfully servicing Ministry of Defence contracts for a number of years now.
“All three contracts are related to specific classes of MoD boats with specific end users and will provide a sustained demand for our workforce for at least five years, possibly seven. They will safeguard existing jobs, create new ones, and ensure an important part of the defence sector benefits UK businesses and organisations.”
What does the new contract mean for Gosport?
The majority of the work will be carried out in Gosport, while some is completed in Cremyll, Cornwall. UK Docks will be in charge of the smooth running of Pac 22 and 24 fleets, as well as passenger transfer boats fitted to the Royal Navy aircraft carriers.
The Pac 24 Rigid inflatable boats are workhorse vessels capable of policing, patrolling, interception and boarding. They can be deployed from various Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships. This covers 109 boats. Crafty engineers will also look after MoD police boats, which are in charge of protecting assets and infrastructure around HMNB Portsmouth, Devonport, and Faslane.
The vessels are the Police Patrol Craft, Island Class, and Intercept and Escort Craft, as well as other specialist craft - 49 in total. UK Docks’ third agreement involves servicing and maintaining the MoD’s workboat fleet across the UK and overseas. This includes the SEA-class Vahana workboats, which are used for diving, surveying, and training operations. Work covers 36 boats, which are used at centres such as Britannia Royal Naval College and RN Dive Support Units.
UK Docks said the contracts will safeguard 42 full-time jobs and create 18 more roles both in management and in the general workforce. Duties include maintenance, repairs, upgrades, spares, obsolescence, and configuration controls. Mr Wilson added: “We’re very proud to be part of a marine industry that has shown that the necessary skills and expertise can be provided by a British company and British workforce, and we’re looking forward to delivering the highest standards of service and maintenance.”
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Boost across the country
The Ministry of Defence awarded £283.5m worth of support service contracts for smaller Royal Navy, Army, RFA, and MoD Police boats - a total of fleet of 3,000 vessels. This also covers the P2000 Archer-class patrol vessels based in Portsmouth. Aside from UK Docks, financial packages were awarded to Golden Arrow Marine, Griffon Marine Ltd, Babcock, and Serco Maritime.
More than £250m worth of funding was granted to UK businesses, three of them being classed as small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The programme will create an array of apprenticeships, engineering and manufacturing roles.
Minister for defence readiness and industry, Luke Pollard, said: “We’re backing British businesses, reopening docks and breathing new life into maritime industries that have been the backbone of our coastal towns for generations – proving once again that Defence is an engine for growth. This is defence spending that works hard for the whole country. These contracts will keep our critical boats ready and operational, while putting over 100 skilled jobs into communities - including apprenticeships for people just starting their careers.”