The UK Government has released its Maritime Annual Report 2018-2019 and Nusrat Ghani MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport, Minister for Maritime, says in her introduction:
“As Maritime Minister over the past year I have had the privilege to see first-hand the extraordinary work done across the sector. I am delighted to say that this period has seen Government deliver ground breaking work, and this report shines
a spotlight on a number of these outstanding achievements.
This year we have published Maritime 2050, a long-term strategy that lays out our ambitions for the sector. It is the first strategy of its kind in a generation, and it is indicative of the type of ambitious, original thinking that is required in an era of rapid technological change.
Maritime 2050 looks to the future. I am also immensely proud of the delivery of so many other important activities in the present.
Diversifying the workforce has been a priority. The Women in Maritime Charter was launched in the past year, helping tackle the gender imbalance in UK maritime. Supporting our maritime people has been at the fulcrum of the Government’s work over the past 12 months, and it will continue to be at the heart of our efforts for the next 12 months.
Exemplary standards remain a foundation of the UK sector. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Marine Accident
Investigation Branch (MAIB), and General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA) are unparalleled organisations that protect people in UK waters. This provision of a safe and secure environment for the sector undoubtedly helps make the UK maritime offer globally competitive.
The preparation work for the UK’s exit from the EU has been a further priority. This work has helped safeguard the continued movement of goods into the UK in all scenarios. At a time when our sector has received unprecedented focus, Government and industry has risen to the challenge.
Enhancing our commitments to protecting the environment and supporting new technologies have also been areas of huge success. The recently published Clean Maritime Plan provides an ambitious routemap for the UK to lead the way internationally. Likewise, the support and funding for research and innovation we have provided will help ensure that the UK is at the leading edge of the new technological frontier.
These are just a selection of the efforts that are currently underway, and I am excited by what the future holds. Global oceangoing trade is expected to more than treble in the next few decades. Guided by recommendations in Maritime 2050, work has begun on preparing for this future.
These plans will only be achievable with strong Government and industry partnership. The accomplishments of the past year have been possible due to this strong relationship. I thank the sector for this cooperation, and reaffirm the commitment to
working hand in hand going forward.
London International Shipping Week (LISW) 2019, the biggest maritime promotional event of 2019, provides an immediate opportunity to showcase the fruits of this partnership, highlighting the UK maritime offer to an international audience”.
The maritime sector is integral to the UK economy.
It is the key transport mode underpinning international trade. It directly employs 186,000 people in the UK and provides an indirect boost of over £37bn to the economy. It secures the vital supply of fuel and food needed to keep the nation running. Within the sector, the role maritime plays in supporting the lives of citizens is well known. The unique challenges of the UK leaving the European Union has highlighted the significance of the sector to the wider public. Today, maritime is at the forefront of many people’s minds. This has come with challenges, but it has also provided a unique opportunity to broadcast the contribution of the sector more widely.
Government has risen to this challenge, working with industry to enable the flourishing of UK maritime. This work has acknowledged that change is inevitable. Technological, environmental, and economic conditions are certain to vary over the coming years. In a sector that spans several individual industries, Government has had to think strategically to plan for the future. Consequently, Maritime 2050: Navigating the Future was launched in January, the first long-term maritime strategy the country has produced for a generation.
Click to read the full Maritime Annual Report: Maritime_Annual_Report_2018_to_2019
