Support Ships 2020 comes at a time of extraordinary growth and investment for the UK and other navies around the world who are seeking to attain, or retain, blue-water capability.

Despite the critical nature of support vessels, afloat support, maintenance and sealift – Support Ships remains the only dedicated conference of its kind in the world. It is a unique opportunity for colleagues to connect and impart knowledge, and for industry leaders to take their message to new audiences – and to learn from the leaders of tomorrow’s naval programmes.

In the UK, the Royal Navy is preparing for the first operational carrier deployment in 2021 – and the Fleet Solid Support Ship programme is on the near horizon.

We are therefore delighted that the UK’s Secretary of Defence, the Right Honourable Ben Wallace MP, along with Commodore Duncan Lamb of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, will be delivering keynote presentations.

Senior officers from the United States, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and across Europe will also be sharing their valuable insight into this vital subject. The international nature of the 2020 event programme speaks to the importance of afloat support – and long-range operational capabilities – for all major navies, at a time when the threat from peer and near-peer adversaries continues to grow.