The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a seven-year contract, worth £476 million (US$597 million), to UK-based Foreland Shipping (FSL) for long-term strategic sealift operations.
This comes as Defence Secretary John Healey recently announced that UK-based defence firms will be prioritised for government investment.
Under the contract, FSL will provide four Ro-Ro ferries capable of transporting essential equipment and supplies, including armoured vehicles, emergency medical supplies and complex weapons, across the globe.
The vessels are operated by UK national sponsored reserves, a category of reservists who are members of the civilian workforce and join the reserves as a condition of service. This arrangement allows them to be called up to support the armed forces in times of crisis.
The MoD said the new contract will enable it to meet its NATO "new force model" commitment.
As part of the UK’s ongoing support to Ukraine, the FSL vessels have conducted over 30 sailings, moving more than 23,000 tonnes of equipment, including significant ammunition outloads from Newport in South Wales.