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Maritime UK response to the snap General Election

David Dingle CBE, Maritime UK Chairman, said:

“Now that a snap general election has been confirmed, the maritime sector will be looking to the political parties to set out their manifestos to deliver economic stability, certainty, and predictability over the course of the next Parliament.

“The UK is embarking on the most crucial set of negotiations in a generation, and industry wants to limit distraction from the task of securing the best possible deal as the UK leaves the EU. Maritime UK continues to argue for a Brexit deal that ensures the UK’s attractiveness as a place to do business, takes a global approach to global issues, and capitalises upon new freedoms to back British industry.

“Maritime is central to the UK’s industrial strategy – both in terms of enabling swift and efficient global trade, and by advancing innovation and boosting exports of our own maritime products and services. Both of which will help boost productivity and deliver growth across the whole country. Regardless of the outcome of this election, this timely work must continue.

“We’re committed to ensuring that the UK is the most competitive place to do business, and we look forward to working with the next Government to make it a reality.

“With the UK having triggered Article 50, the maritime sector has a unique and critical role in guaranteeing that the country makes a success of Brexit. With a resolve to increase exports and sign ambitious trade deals with countries across the world, the maritime sector has a unique opportunity to make ‘Global Britain’ a reality, and it is ready to do so.” 

For more information, contact Ben Murray, Maritime UK Manager: bmurray@maritimeuk.org or call  07447 656440.

LISW17 announces speaker line-up for flagship conference

Thought leaders from the world of government, finance, international trade, shipowning and insurance as well as artificial intelligence innovation and technology will headline the speaker line-up at the flagship London International Shipping Week 2017 (LISW17) conference to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane, on Thursday 14th September.

Discussion during Session One of the conference, held under the opening theme of ‘Tomorrow’s Maritime World’, will focus on the emotive issues of shifting trade patterns, new technologies and disruption to business models.

Kitack Lim, International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General, will underline the role of the IMO in the free flow of trade while Willem Buiter, Chief Economist at Citi, will ask: “What are the forecasts for new potentially disruptive technologies; what are the future funding models and what impact might they have on shipping? Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of BW Group, will outline what the maritime industry needs to do to respond to future trends before Dr Martin Stopford, President of Clarkson Research, looks at how shipping will alter in the future.

Major UK and international political speakers will also contribute to what will be a highly stimulating opening session.

Session Two, entitled ‘Tomorrow’s Needs’, will concentrate on the changing business environment and what this means for skills and people. Sarah Kenny, Managing Director – Maritime, Qinetiq, will question why autonomy is a good thing for society and for business, while Inga Beale, Chief Executive Officer of Lloyd’s of London, will discuss how risk can be managed and responsibility attributed in a dramatically changing safety environment.

Legal commentator and honorary QC Joshua Rozenberg, will talk about the long-term evolution of the legal environment in response to rapid changes in technologies (eg automated, driverless ships), changing environmental legislation and evolving consumer expectations, before handing over to Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO Maritime, DNV GL and incoming Chairman of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), who will ask whether regulations can be adapted quickly enough in the face of disruptive change.

The session would not be complete without drawing on the views of the world’s ship owners and employees, provided by Esben Poulsson, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, and Mark Dickinson, Board Advisor, ITF.

Session Three of the conference will look at ‘Tomorrow’s Business Solutions’ and ask pertinent questions about how an efficient and innovative maritime business sector will solve tomorrow’s known and unknown challenges. Speakers will include Rupert Pearce, Chief Executive Officer, Inmarsat; Niclas Mårtensson, Chief Executive Officer, Stena Line; and Mikael Mäkinen, President – Marine, Rolls Royce.
LISW17 has already announced that Emily Maitlis, broadcaster, journalist, and presenter of the BBC’s Newsnight, will once again moderate the official LISW flagship conference.

The internationally-acclaimed journalist and broadcaster will bring her forthright and engaging style to the industry-leading conference. With a career spanning almost three decades, Emily began as a documentary maker in Cambodia and China, before developing her career as a journalist with the BBC, NBC Asia, Channel 4 News and Sky. She is a regular presenter of Newsnight.

The LISW17 conference will be followed on the Thursday evening by the official LISW17 Gala Dinner, also to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London.

Taking place from September 11 to 15, LISW17 will be the must-attend event of the global maritime calendar with more than 140 industry functions and unique networking opportunities. The events will be organised either by the industry at large through the various LISW17 Supporting Organisations or by Sponsoring Companies of LISW17.
Indeed, Maritime UK announced that it will draw on the successes of its very recent trade mission to Shanghai by organising a ‘China Day’ during the forthcoming LISW17.

The ‘China Day’ event will focus on issues related to trade with China and give participants an opportunity to understand more fully, market trends and business opportunities. UK Government and Maritime UK used the Shanghai trip to invite a delegation of 30 Chinese Government and industry officials to attend LISW17, including the Governor of Pudong, Mr Hang Yingwei, who received an official and personal invitation from the UK Trade Minister, Mark Garnier.

Click here to visit the LISW17 website.

Maritime Industry to hold ‘China Day’ during LISW17

 

Maritime UK will draw on the successes of its very recent trade mission to Shanghai by organising a ‘China Day’ during the forthcoming London International Shipping Week 2017 (LISW17), due to be held in Britain’s capital from September 11 to 15.

The ‘China Day’ event will focus on issues related to trade with China and give participants an opportunity to understand more fully, market trends and business opportunities.

UK Government and Maritime UK used the Shanghai trip to invite a delegation of 30 Chinese Government and industry officials to attend LISW17, including the Governor of Pudong, Mr Hang Yingwei, who received an official and personal invitation from the UK Trade Minister, Mark Garnier.

Visiting delegates are likely to come from the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Human Resources’ Maritime Professional Division; the region of Pudong; as well as representatives from the Maritime Finance & Excellence Centre in Shanghai.

The very successful three-day Shanghai trade mission focused on opportunities for the UK in China and for Chinese investment in the UK. The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers used the opportunity to sign an agreement with the Chinese Transport Ministry to provide training.

Speaking at the event, David Dingle (pictured), Chairman of Maritime UK and Carnival UK and a member of the LISW Board of Advisors, referred to the deepening trade and investment relationship between the UK and China, “not least because of both countries’ commitment to delivering a ‘Golden Era’ in Sino-UK relations. Maritime UK fully endorses a closer relationship with China, which serves the mutual interests of both countries.”

He added: “China and Britain are both global maritime and trading powers with a global outlook. We are working together to solve global issues, build economies of the future, and develop our strong trade, investment and people links. We are leaders and strong believers in truly global trade.

“UK exports to China grew 63% from 2010 to 2015, and China is expected to be the UK’s second largest foreign investor by 2020. The maritime sector has a crucial role to play at the heart of this – in facilitating trade between our countries, but also through the export of our own innovative world-leading products and services, and through attracting inward investment.”

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The UK needs a strong flag, urges the UK Chamber

British shipping has delivered its strongest message to the UK Government yet that the country needs a ship register it can ‘be proud of’ and more investment in training British seafarers if it is to hold onto its position as a world maritime leader.

Speaking at the annual dinner of the UK Chamber of Shipping, held at the Hilton Hotel on London Park Lane, Chamber President Tom Boardley said: “We need a Ship Register that we can be proud of. We need standards to be maintained but levels of customer service to improve substantially.

“We need an MCA that actively courts new business; that is a champion for you, and for UK PLC. One that’s hungry for that next big success, ambitious and focussed in pursuit of growth,” he said.
Paying tribute to the UK Shipping & Ports Minister, he said the industry was on the path “towards meaningful reform, but believe me when I say we will not stop reminding you until shipowners in the world look to the UK and sees a flag of the future.”

He added: “And when they get here, they will see we have the some of the best business services and they will use them. And they will see we have highly trained seafarers graduating from the most forward thinking colleges. And they will take advantage.

“But if we are to cure the problem of the steady decline of British seafarers we need to invest. Heavily. Gone are the days of tinkering with SMaRT funding. If we are serious, if we are genuinely serious about training more British seafarers we need SMarT funding not just to increase, but to double. Yes, Minister, you heard me correctly! Double.

“And I say to you Minister, respectfully, if the Department for Transport can find £50 billion pounds to spend on High Speed 2, roads and local transport, I would hope you can find another £15 million to train the next generation of world class seafarers,” he said.

His comments came as the Chamber announced that it was encouraging a new breed of British ship owner by giving away a free one year membership to any new homegrown shipowning company set up. “Anyone who wants to take the plunge, buy their first ship and give it a go, will have the regulatory and policy expertise of the chamber at their disposal so they can concentrate on the things that really matter. Growing their business, creating jobs, and boosting UK maritime PLC,” he said.

Government commits to action on driving maritime growth

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Transport Minister provides government response to maritime growth study and pledges to grow UK’s seafaring sector.

The Minister of State for Transport Robert Goodwill laid out the government’s response to the maritime growth study today (16 December 2015).

The Shipping and Ports Minister committed to taking steps to drive growth in the maritime sector, encouraging greater investment and making the UKflag more attractive to ship owners. Training is also a key focus with pledges to identify skills gaps, support maritime education and promote the wide range of careers in the sector.

The government has committed to taking forward recommendations made in the study including establishing a ministerial working group to tackle key issues in the sector and identify opportunities for future growth. The group met for the first time in November 2015.

The DfT will also undertake a fresh look at how many seafarers are needed for the future, and work to improve career opportunities including a review of the government’s support for maritime training (SMarT) scheme.

The study called for reform of the UK Ship Register to create a more commercial focus and encourage more ships to fly the world-famous Red Ensign. This has already begun with the announcement today of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s appointment of a new director of the UK Ship Register.

Minister of State for Transport Robert Goodwill said:
“The maritime industry is a success story for our nation, and we are determined that the UK grows as a major international shipping country. We face strong competition across the world and it is vital we stay ahead of the curve.
That is why the publication of the maritime growth study earlier this year was an important milestone and we are already acting on the recommendations.
We will continue to offer our full support to industry, and together we can continue to build on the UK’s proud maritime history.”

The UK’s maritime sector currently contributes at least £11 billion to the economy each year, and supports around 113,000 jobs and 6,600 businesses. The maritime growth study was published in September 2015 during London International Shipping Week.

It focused on 4 main themes; government, industry leadership, the need for a skilled workforce and the opportunities for marketing UK’s maritime sector. It was led by Lord Mountevans with the aim of cementing the UK’s standing as a world-leading maritime centre, and identifying opportunities for further growth.