New Thames Flagship Emerges as Forerunner to Promote British Businesses as Government pulls plug on £250m National Flagship Project

The national flagship project is dead after the UK government pulled the plug on the £250m publicly funded project to instead prioritise the procurement of the Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance Ships (MROSS).

The decision is the first major cut in spending ahead of the Autumn Statement. Harland & Wolff & Houlder Limited had been battling it out to design the new ship.

National Maritime has always been a long-term supporter of the National Flagship concept but since 2021 we have also campaigned that a New Thames National Flagship built from the four corners of the UK would be a better alternative & better placed to promote British businesses to the world, whilst potentially saving the British taxpayer over £200m?

Only last week, we met again with Government officials to ask if a new, smaller ‘UK flagship’, funded by the private sector, operating in central London would be a far more effective way to showcase the very best in British shipbuilding craftsmanship & zero emissions tech to the world.

A 50-60m inland waterway vessel built & furnished from the four corners of the UK that showcased the very best in cutting-edge British design, engineering & green technology, that featured contemporary exterior & interior design by a designer of international standing, which could be pictured throughout the world with international dignitaries.

A vessel built by UK ship builders & maritime industries which would help boost trade & drive investment.

We even proposed that a maritime hospitality company could invest in the vessel & as worked well in the past, charter for private events when not required for royal & diplomatic work thus making the vessel no burden on public funding.

The last vessel to carry out state visit cruises for over 40 years was the ‘Royal Nore’ owned by the Port of London Authority & operated by Woods’​ Silver Fleet.

So perhaps not all is lost, we can still have our National Flagship to help promote our great British businesses to the world, but this time from the heart of the very best city in the world!