Navantia UK welcomes families and friends behind the scenes at Appledore shipyard

Guests were able to tour the shipyard, meet members of the Appledore team and hear about the site’s long history of shipbuilding in North Devon. 

Activities throughout the day included guided yard tours, a talk on the history of Appledore, a virtual welding experience giving visitors a taste of one of the core skills used at the site, and stalls from the RNLI and historic steamship SS Freshspring. 

Laura Correa, General Manager at Navantia UK Appledore, said:

“Appledore has always been about its people, so it was fantastic to be able to open the doors and give their families and friends the chance to see the work taking place here for themselves. 

“There is a huge amount happening at the yard as we invest in its facilities, build our workforce and deliver the Fleet Solid Support programme. But we are also very conscious that we are custodians of a shipyard with a remarkable history and deep roots in the local community. Events like this give us an opportunity to celebrate both: Appledore’s proud past and the exciting future we are building here.” 

Ben West, Procurement Manager at Appledore, said:

“The Appledore Family and Friends Open Day was an outstanding success and a true reflection of what can be achieved when a community comes together. The event was exceptionally well organised from start to finish, creating a welcoming and enjoyable experience for everyone who attended. A special thank you must go to the volunteers whose dedication, enthusiasm, and hard work made the day possible. Their commitment behind the scenes ensured everything ran seamlessly and helped create a memorable event for families, friends, and visitors alike.” 

Olivia Ryan, the wife of an Appledore employee who attended the open day with their children, said:

”Both the children and I really enjoyed visiting Appledore Shipyard to look around and hear about the process of how the sections of the first FSS ship are being built and joined together. The children were particularly excited to finally see inside their Daddy’s workplace, and are always proud to tell people ‘my Daddy builds ships’! I also really enjoyed meeting some of the team my husband works with, and I came away with a real sense of pride in the work they do. They work incredibly hard and to such a high standard. I feel so fortunate that the shipyard is open once again, securing so many local jobs, which is absolutely vital for our community & our family.” 

Shipbuilding at Appledore dates back to 1855, with more than 300 vessels built at the yard during its history, ranging from naval vessels and ferries to commercial ships and superyachts. The yard has also played a role in some of the UK’s most significant modern naval programmes, including constructing sections for the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers. 

Today, Appledore is once again at the heart of a major UK naval shipbuilding programme. Navantia UK is investing around £15 million in the yard, including upgrades to its infrastructure and manufacturing capability, as part of a wider £157 million investment programme across its four UK sites. 

Earlier this month, Appledore reached a major milestone with the keel laying of RFA Resurgent, the first of three new Fleet Solid Support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The ceremony marked the formal start of assembly and represented the first shipbuilding activity at the yard since 2019. 

Appledore is building major sections of the new vessels, which will ultimately be transported to Navantia UK’s Harland & Wolff shipyard in Belfast for final assembly, integration and trials. 

Alongside the Fleet Solid Support programme, Navantia UK is developing Appledore as a specialist centre capable of supporting future naval programmes, including autonomous and uncrewed vessels, helping to secure the yard’s place at the heart of the UK’s future shipbuilding capability.