Coastal Powerhouse: The Role of Maritime in Driving UK Growth

Maritime UK brings together the UK’s shipping, ports, services, engineering and leisure marine industries to promote the sector, influence government and drive growth. They are hosting a fringe event at this year’s Conservative Party Conference.

The fringe discussion will focus on how the maritime sector can drive regional growth in coastal areas, with the potential to rival that of the Northern Powerhouse. This is especially timely in light of Britain’s exit from the European Union.

The maritime sector is the fundamental enabler of British global trade – responsible for moving 95% of imports and exports, totalling £500bn a year. The UK sector exports its own innovative maritime products and services. With cutting-edge technology, high-quality design and manufacturing, unparalleled expertise in services and major investment opportunities, the UK is the natural home for global maritime business. It is a vital part of our island nation's heritage and of our modern economy – supporting jobs, driving innovation and enabling trade. It further enables millions of people to enjoy the recreational benefits of the UK's coastal and inland waterways.

As Britain is an island nation, the maritime sector is amongst the most important industries to the UK economy.  The maritime sector supports over 950,000 jobs and contributes around £37.4bn to UK GDP. Moreover, maritime is an overwhelming success story for the UK and is renowned for its leadership across the world. 

This panel will facilitate discussion around a new maritime sector deal, harnessing the growth opportunities in coastal communities through free trade, development zones, connectivity, regional clustering, and manufacturing.