Chris

Sorry but you’re grasping- what’s the significance of the words “operating” beyond the fact that it confirms ships are to be leased rather than owned? You’re still resting on the narrative you’ve bought into rather than thinking the situation through.

Leasing rather than owning is absolutely standard behaviour. Bus companies do it, train companies do it, airlines do it, shipping lines do it.

Your quote from Hansard is only really useful at demonstrating the limitations of using non-specialist journalists for reporting complex issues. Clearly I t’s the BBC’s misunderstanding that led to it reporting that these companies would be operating “their” fleets.