Brexit Britain will be the best country in the world to do
maritime business thanks to more trade opportunities, more jobs
and more investment in new technologies, Transport Secretary
said today.
The government has committed to working with industry to deliver
an ambitious export plan for when we leave the European Union.
This will maximise new trade opportunities and significantly grow
the UK’s maritime sector to become a global front runner in
future innovation and technology.
The government will achieve this by:
- Creating a plan to shape and promote the maritime industry up
to 2050
- Collaborating with industry partners to significantly grow
the sector by seizing new trade opportunities
- Calling on maritime employers to double the number of
apprenticeships they offer
- Launching a British shipbuilding ‘renaissance’ as part of the
National Ship Building Strategy
The Transport Secretary spoke ahead of at a meeting with
international industry figures at 10 Downing
Street on Monday (September 11, 2017) to kick-off London
International Shipping Week, the biggest promotional UK shipping
event in recent history.
Mr Grayling will shortly announce plans for a public
discussion to help shape and promote the future of the
maritime industry both up to 2050 and beyond.
This vision will looks at how the government can support future
growth in an industry which directly supports at least 111,000
jobs and contributes around £15 billion to
the UK economy each year.
The Department for Transport will also call on employers to
double the number of apprentices they employ in order to boost
skills, jobs, and productivity across the UK.
This announcement comes after the government published its
National Ship Building Strategy, which aims to step up a
prospective ‘renaissance’ in British shipbuilding.
Building on the Government’s industrial strategy, it outlines an
ambition to transform the procurement of naval ships, make the
UK’s maritime industry more competitive and grow the Royal Navy
fleet by the 2030s.
Transport Secretary said:
“Leaving the European Union will allow Britain to seize new
opportunities and rediscover our heritage as a truly global,
seafaring, trading nation.
“Our maritime industry, far from being a story of the past, is a
thriving success story – worth around £15bn a year to our economy
and supporting a quarter of a million jobs.
“This government is determined to work with the maritime industry
to help it grow significantly and make the UK a world leader for
shipping business.”
The roundtable summit of maritime leaders at 10 Downing
Street will strengthen the partnership with investors
and UK exporters and identify post-EU exit opportunities.
Shipping Week will highlight the opportunities to boost trade and
investment in the sector as the UK leaves the European Union and
looks to strike new deals with nations around the world.
The government has already made good progress to bolster our
trade and export relationships including by supporting the first
Maritime UK trade mission to China and Hong Kong.
International Trade Secretary said:
“The UK’s maritime industry brings billions of pounds a year into
our economy and will be vital to our continued prosperity
when we leave the European Union. As an international
economic department, our ambition is that we lead the way
in world-class shipbuilding and maritime technology.
“I'm delighted to be here at London Shipping Week to
demonstrate our commitment to strengthen this thriving
industry and promote the very best of British maritime innovation
to the world.”
The government has already implemented the recommendations from
the 2015 Maritime Growth Study including setting up a ministerial
working group for maritime growth. We have also supported
maritime training for officers/cadets through the £15m SMarT
budget.
The work to develop a vision for the maritime sector will include
maximising the value of new trade deals and a maritime skills
strategy that identifies the industry’s future skills needs and
the steps required to achieve them.
The Ship Building Strategy also aims to increase the export
British ships overseas, and boost innovation, skills, jobs, and
productivity across the UK.
