UK Maritime Minister tells Liverpool city region maritime leaders at a Mersey Maritime event that their success is ‘critical’ to the health of the UK economy and to the push for net zero. Tony McDonough reports
UK Maritime Minister Mike Kane has told an audience of Liverpool city region maritime sector leaders their success is critical to UK economic growth and prosperity.
Speaking at an event held during the Labour Party conference in Liverpool organised by Mersey Maritime, Mr Kane also said the maritime industry had a crucial role to play if the UK was to meet its ambitious decarbonisation targets.
Senior figures from the Liverpool city region maritime sector and the Combined Authority attended the packed session, part of the conference fringe programme.
Mr Kane told them: “Coastal communities play a fundamentally important role in the UK economy and are critical to its long-term future. That is none more so than here in Liverpool city region with its long maritime heritage.
“The success of this region has always been built on dynamic innovation and seizing opportunities to grow economically with a focus on skilled, secure, well-paid jobs and embedded in responsible employment practices.
“The willingness of the industry to meet the challenges of net zero will be key to the years ahead as the new Labour Government delivers on its commitment to energy transition through its flagship GB Energy policy.
“Maritime businesses in this region are already investing in the green skills and clean jobs that will help us deliver change. I look forward to working with the industry on our shared priorities of growth, skills and decarbonisation in the years ahead.”
Ruth Wood, chief executive of Mersey Maritime, also addressed those present. The cluster organisation is the representative body of the local industry which is worth more than £5bn a year and encompasses more than 30 sub-sectors.
“Maritime makes a massive contribution to the Liverpool City Region economy. We know it is worth at least £5 billion in business turnover and supports many thousands of jobs – nearly 50,000.
“While our long maritime heritage speaks for itself, our region’s industry has never rested on its past, it has always looked to the future.
“That future is all about the major contribution our significant estuary, the River Mersey, will make to addressing some of the biggest challenges our country faces going forward- delivering economic growth, ensuring a thriving jobs market and responding to the fundamental challenge of decarbonisation and net zero.
“The North West and Liverpool city region has the potential to be a driving force in the next green industrial revolution. From offshore wind to harnessing new energy sources in the estuary to world-leading innovation at Stanlow around hydrogen and carbon capture and storage and our business and academic assets, the ingredients exist here.”
Multiple maritime businesses were in attendance at the event which was held in collaboration with Peel Ports Group and Connected Places Catapult and took place at Mann Island.
Discussions focused on the economic impact of maritime and the Mersey Estuary in facilitating significant volumes of trade, supporting high quality and skilled jobs, driving productivity and the industry’s role as a key foundation industry.
In a wide-ranging question and answer session, the importance of responding to major environmental challenges and delivering cleaner, greener maritime was showcased with the official launch of a major new report.
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This explores the possibilities around a Liverpool/Belfast Green Shipping Corridor, the result of a significant collaborative effort spear-headed by the Connected Places Catapult in partnership with industry and academia locally.
Stephen Carr, group commercial director at Peel Ports Group, said: “As the UK’s third-largest estuary by tonnage, the River Mersey supports a vital and thriving maritime economy for Merseyside, enabling other major industry sectors to grow and prosper.
“We stand ready to play our part in supporting the new Government on projects which foster sustainable growth for trade, enhancing skills for quality employment and facilitating the transition to a greener energy future.”
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority chief executive, Katherine Fairclough, echoed Mike Kane’s words saying the local maritime industry “remains vital to the city region’s economy”.
“It’s essential we work with our partners to define the next illustrious chapter in our port’s long and storied history,” she added.
“By harnessing our natural assets, we are perfectly positioned to be at the forefront of the green energy transition and through our entrepreneurial and innovative spirit we are well-placed to lead the world in maritime decarbonisation.”