British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced today that the United Kingdom will build a flagship ship to host trade events and promote its interests after Brexit around the world.
This ship will provide a global platform for British companies’ products, as well as for high-level trade negotiations, according to Downing Street.
The United Kingdom has sought to establish new trade relations after its de facto abandonment of the European Union, at the end of 2020, according to Agence France-Presse.
It will also play a role in implementing the country’s foreign and security policy, particularly through the holding of summit conferences and diplomatic negotiations.
This will be the first major ship in service since 1997, when the royal yacht Britannia stopped sailing.
Johnson explained that the new ship will be “different” from its predecessors “reflecting the birth of the United Kingdom as a great and independent maritime trading nation.”
“Every aspect of the ship, from its construction to the companies that will promote it on board, will represent and promote the best of the United Kingdom,” he noted.
According to Johnson, it will reinforce “a clear and strong signal of our commitment to being actors on the global stage.”
Downing Street added in a statement that construction of the ship will begin in 2022 and will take about four years, and he will not be able to determine its cost until the bid is made. (Telam)
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