Swords into ploughshares: UK think tank calls repurposing of Harland & Wolff as green energy hub
Green manufacturing would retain much of worker skill-base (Source: Harland & Wolff)
Common Wealth’s "Lucas Plan for the 21st century" advocates for a publicly owned company - modelled on GB Energy - to buy the historic shipyard and redirect its skilled workforce toward manufacturing green energy infrastructure, such as components for offshore wind. The report highlights the opportunity to repurpose existing skills in welding, fabrication, and engineering to support the green transition and fill crucial gaps in the renewable energy supply chain.
As well as hubs, towers and blades, each offshore wind installation comprises thousands of miles of cabling, all of which is challenging to fabricate. Mathew Lawrence, director of Common Wealth, emphasises that the UK’s shipbuilding and aerospace industries possess "strategic niches" that could power a green industrial revolution, enhancing economic resilience and supporting decarbonisation. "An active green industrial strategy to reorient them toward the green industries of the future can provide greater economic resilience, retain Britain’s industrial capacity and contribute toward decarbonisation," Lawrence told 'The Guardian'. "In the process, it can build a more secure and equitable future."
Navantia, the Spanish state-owned shipbuilder, is considering purchasing H&W. However, the report insists that public ownership would better ensure long-term security for the workforce and promote sustainable economic development. Unions like Unite and RMT support the initiative, citing the need for secure, well-paid green jobs that transition the workforce away from arms production.
