Govan Shipbuilders facts for kids
.svg)
House flag
|
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Shipbuilding |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Predecessor | Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering |
| Successor | Kvaerner Govan |
| Founded | September 1972 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Headquarters | Govan, Scotland, UK |
|
Key people
|
Lord Strathalmond (Chairman) Eric Mackie OBE (Managing Director) |
|
Number of employees
|
6000 (1978) |
| Parent | British Shipbuilders (1977-1988) |
| Subsidiaries | Scotstoun Marine Ltd (1973-1980) |
Govan Shipbuilders Ltd (GSL) was a company in Scotland that built ships. It was located on the River Clyde in Glasgow, in an area called Govan. The company used the old Fairfield Shipyard to build its ships.
Contents
History of Govan Shipbuilders
How Govan Shipbuilders Started
Govan Shipbuilders was created in 1972. It bought the old Fairfield Shipyard in Govan. This shipyard was part of a larger group called Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS). UCS was made up of several shipyards from the Clyde area. These included Fairfield, Alex Stephens, Charles Connell, Yarrow, and John Browns.
Operating Other Shipyards
From 1973 to 1980, Govan Shipbuilders had a smaller company called Scotstoun Marine Ltd. This company also ran another shipyard. It was the former Connell shipyard in Scotstoun.
Becoming a National Company
In 1977, the company became 'nationalised'. This means the Labour government, led by James Callaghan, took ownership of it. This happened under a law called the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act. Govan Shipbuilders then became part of a bigger group called British Shipbuilders.
Ships Built and Yard Improvements
Between 1973 and 1988, Govan Shipbuilders built 53 ships. All these ships were made at the Govan shipyard. The company invested money to make the shipyard better. They improved the areas where steel parts were made.
In 1975, they added four large cranes. These cranes could lift 80 tons and helped build bigger ship parts. When the Scotstoun yard closed in 1980, three more 80-ton cranes were moved to Govan. You can still spot these cranes because they are blue.
The End of Govan Shipbuilders
In 1988, Govan Shipbuilders was sold. A company from Norway called Kvaerner Industries bought it. After this sale, the company was renamed Kvaerner Govan.
Images for kids
-
The former Govan Shipbuilders yard is now owned by BAE Systems Surface Ships. This picture from 2007 shows them building a Type 45 destroyer.
