London. As a visible sign of Brexit, there is a new head to represent the United Kingdom on the world’s oceans in the future. The ship replaces the royal yacht “Britania”, which was decommissioned in 1997 and has since been established as a museum in Scotland.

Construction of the new ship is scheduled to begin in 2022. It will be used for trade fairs, summits and diplomatic talks, as announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. A name has not been chosen yet.

Johnson said the ship “reflects Britain’s growing status as a large, independent maritime trading nation.” It is “a clear and strong symbol of our commitment to being an active player on the world stage”. The cost would be around £200 million (233 million euros), with the ship being in operation for about 30 years. Conservative lawmakers are pushing to name the building after Prince Philip, the recently deceased husband of Queen Elizabeth II.

Johnson has repeatedly emphasized that after Brexit, Great Britain can again decide on its trade policy. In addition, the government is arming the military and wants to be the leading naval power after the United States. However, important trade talks are currently stalled, for example with the United States, but also with Norway and Australia.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210530-99-791354/2