The CEO of Harland and Wolff has expressed concern over the future of investment at the shipyard due to the lack of a functioning government in Stormont. Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, John Wood highlighted that time is running out for the current political vacuum, with plans for expansion at the Belfast-based shipyard being put in jeopardy.
Mr. Wood explained at the conference that the company plans to increase its workforce over the next 18 months to two and half thousand, but without the help of Stormont, it will be difficult to implement. One of the primary challenges faced by the shipyard due to the political deadlock is a lack of government assistance with apprenticeship schemes, which would make recruitment of new apprentices problematic.
Power supply issues related to an upcoming contract to refit up to 16 cruise ships is another problem, which cannot be resolved without government participation. He went on to say that future investment could slow down unless a government is put in place to aid the economy.
Mr. Wood also admitted that the new Windsor Framework has impacted upon the movement of goods into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. However, the Harland and Wolff CEO clarified that irrespective of waiting for government intervention, the company is focused on moving ahead with the job. Despite the challenges, the shipyard hopes to announce another new deal in the coming weeks and also plans to invest £75m in new technology at the shipyard.
Harland and Wolff secured a contract last year worth £1.6bn to fabricate three new Royal Navy support ships, expected to create 900 job opportunities at the facility when production commences in 2025
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