CAMMELL Laird has signed a £200-million contract to build a state-of-the-art polar research ship. 

The deal secures 400 jobs and apprentices at the Birkenhead site and will maintain the country's position at the forefront of climate and ocean research.

The firm was chosen as preferred bidder for the work, following a 12-month competitive tender process that involved bids from companies in the UK, Europe and the Far East.

The new polar research ship, which will operate in both Antarctica and the Arctic, will be able to endure up to 60 days in sea-ice to enable scientists to gather more observations and data.

Work is due to start next autumn 2016 and the vessel will be ready for operation by 2019.

Laird's chief executive John Syvret said: "It is tremendous news for Merseyside and the UK maritime industry.

“It is further a fantastic endorsement of the world-class skills and experience of our workforce and the calibre of our facilities which are among the best in Europe.

“We must thank our MP Frank Field for his unwavering support for Cammell Laird being a driver of long term employment for people of all academic backgrounds as well as a wealth creator for the economy.

“In addition, we would like to thank the Chancellor George Osborne for recognising that Cammell Laird is a champion brand for British industry and that we can play a key role in the development of the Northern Powerhouse driving growth in marine engineering, and the renewable and civil nuclear energy markets.”

The ship will be the first British-built polar research vessel with a heli-deck to open up new locations for science and will be one of the most sophisticated floating research laboratories operating in the Polar Regions.

Funding for the new polar research ship was announced in April last year, as part of the Government’s science capital programme.

Laird was selected by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) through a full competitive procurement process.

NERC's chief executive Professor Duncan Wingham said: "This new research ship, which is expected to become operational in 2019, will be equipped with on-board laboratory facilities and will be capable of deploying robotic technologies to monitor environmental changes to the polar oceans and will help UK scientists continue to lead the world in understanding our polar regions."

Birkenhead Frank Field MP said news of the contract was: "A mega day for Laird’s and therefore for Merseyside."

He added: "It puts Laird’s back into the shipbuilding business and the development of a niche market.

"It secures hundreds of jobs, dozens of new apprenticeships and one hundred jobs in the supply chain.

"Huge congratulations to John Syvret and his team."