THE leader of the Conservative party, Kemi Badenoch MP, paid a high-profile visit to UK Docks’ Gosport facility on a fact-finding tour of the company’s marine services and repair work.
Kemi' Badenoch’s visit through the spotlight on UK Docks Marine Services.
His Majesty’s leader of the Government opposition was given a tour of the site by UK Docks’ business development, Ben Mason, along with visiting parliamentarians, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge and Gosport MP Dame Caroline Dinenage DBE, with former Portsmouth MP Rt Hon Dame Penny Mordaunt and Hampshire & Isle of Wight Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones completing the high-powered delegation.
UK Docks’ business development director, Ben Mason, guides Kemi Badenoch around UK Dock's’ Gosport facilities with Dame Caroline Dinenage MP and former MP, Dame Penny Mordaunt, in attendance.
The visit reflected the growing national recognition of UK Docks’ work, its expanding capabilities, and long‑term commitment to supporting the UK’s maritime and defence sectors.
The visit follows a period of significant growth for the company, including the award of an £84 million contract to service Royal Navy vessels earlier this year, which strengthens the role UK Docks plays in maintaining fleet readiness and supporting the wider defence infrastructure.
The visiting group also had the opportunity to experience one of the PAC 24 rigid inflatable boats maintained at the site, part of a wider programme that will see the Gosport facility play a key role in supporting up to 194 Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels in the years ahead.
Kemi and her team got to experience water transport on a Pac 24.
The visit offered an opportunity for UK Docks to showcase the expertise of engineers, technicians and apprentices, whose work underpins the company’s reputation for high‑quality vessel maintenance, repair and engineering services.
The leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch MP, learns all about the work of the UK Docks Marine Services team in Gosport.
It also highlighted the economic contribution of the UK Gosport site, which continues to expand its workforce and invest in new capabilities to meet the needs of the UK’s maritime and defence sectors.
And it showed the company’s ongoing commitment to improving and regenerating the key industrial and commercial site.
Media coverage of the visit noted the increasing interest in the company’s role within the region and its growing importance to the Royal Navy’s support network.
The UK Docks Marine Services team at Gosport commemorate the visit of Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, MP.
UK Docks Marine Services is playing a growing role in the Solent’s maritime landscape, with its Gosport operations complementing wider activity across the south coast at UK Docks’ Mashfords in Cremyll, in Cornwall and its traditional bases in the North East.
The leading politicians’ visit underscored the strategic value of the Solent as a hub for marine engineering, innovation and defence support and UK Docks’ contribution to it.
UK Docks managing director, Jonathan Wilson, said: “As our facilities continue to evolve, we remain committed to investing in modern infrastructure, supporting high‑skilled local employment, delivering reliable, responsive services to the Royal Navy and commercial clients and strengthening partnerships across the region’s maritime community
“We welcome the growing recognition of the work carried out by our teams across the UK. “Visits such as this, and others in the North East, involving interest from the Tees Valley Mayor, Ben Houchen and South Shields MP, Emma Lewell, provide an important platform to demonstrate the scale, capability and professionalism of our operation, highlighting the vital role that marine engineering plays in supporting national resilience and the wider maritime economy.”