Showcasing the #CoastalPowerhouse across the regions of the United Kingdom
This article was written by Simon Eardley, Regional Cluster Development Manager at Maritime UK
It seems hard to believe that it is already a month since all the excitement and events that encompassed London International Shipping Week 2019. It was a fantastic week to showcase to the world the whole range of the diverse maritime sector we have in the United Kingdom and the many opportunities for business both nationally and internationally. With ‘Regional Growth’ being one of the key areas of focus for the work of Maritime UK, it was a particularly good time for our increasingly diverse range of cluster organisations to present a comprehensive overview of their work to a wide audience.
On Monday 9 September, during a well-attended 'Regional Spotlight' event hosted in the Global Trade Hub based in the iconic ‘Cheesegrater Building’, colleagues from the South West of England, Solent, Scotland, Mersey and Humber gave their presentations which focused on:
- Key assets and unique cluster selling-points
- Current strengths and challenges
- Recent and future developments
- Regional investment opportunities
Our Mersey Maritime and Team Humber Marine Alliance teams also took the opportunity to show cluster collaboration in action with a top-level panel discussion on an issue of mutual concern to their members, the importance of ‘east-west connectivity.’ It is true to say that this afternoon event proved that the phrase ‘Coastal Powerhouse’ isn’t just a meaningless phrase or cliché – the depth of our regional maritime offer is there for all to see. Here are just two examples, from north to south:
Scottish Maritime Cluster
Aim:
- Provide a sector-wide 'shop window' to global markets
- Explore opportunities for joint working
- Address skills, policy and other sector challenges
Strengths:
- Europe's largets ship management cluster
- World-class naval ship design, build and support
- Globally recognised support to offshore energy operations
- Europe's leading nautical training and personnel capability
- Leading maritime universities and academics
- A full range of professional support services building on the fact that Scotland is home to the UK’s second largest cluster of maritime businesses
Key members (amongst others!):
- Babcock International
- BAE Systems
- Caledonian MacBrayne
- Catapult Transport Systems
- Royal Navy
Headline achievements:
- Leadership for Maritime Research & Innovation UK (MarRi-UK)
- Supported UK National Shipbuilding Strategy & Maritime 2050 consultation and Maritime UK economic analysis projects
- Workshops focused on Digital Shipping (Glasgow, Aug 18), Green Ship (Edinburgh, Mar 19), Offshore Digital (Aberdeen, May 19)
- Advanced Manufacturing/Innovation (Rosyth, Jun 19)
More information:
Maritime UK South West (incorporating Cornwall Marine Network and the South Coast Marine Cluster)
Aim:
- Pull together disparate assets across the entire ‘ocean economy’ to create and deliver against compelling economic propositions
- Increase collaboration and innovation – working across the ‘Great South West’ – Cornwall & Isles of Scilly LEP; Dorset LEP; Heart of the South West LEP
- Promote the sector and act as a voice to the UK Government and investors
Strengths:
- Environmental and digital technology
- Advanced marine engineering
- Offshore renewables
- Defence
- Marine and maritime skills – the focus of the Cornwall Marine Network in this area is a particular strength and worthy of its own blog-piece
Key strategic businesses across the sector:
- Defence: Babcock, BMT, QinetiQ, Leonardo
- Autonomy: Thales, Atlas Elektronik, MSubs
- Advanced engineering: Caterpillar, Wartsilla, RNLI, SC Group
- Luxury yachts: Princess, Sunseeker, Pendennis
- Maritime/ports: Brittany Ferries, ABP, A&P
More information:
Later this month the work of our ‘Regional Cluster Development Programme’ will continue apace with what looks like a positive opportunity to kick-start a new cluster organisation in the Norfolk and Suffolk area, working in partnership with the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership. Should this prove productive, the new group will in due course have the opportunity to send representation to the Maritime UK Regional Council which meets on a quarterly basis, the next one taking place on a date which may well prove very interesting politically, Thursday 31st October in Falmouth! The meeting will be hosted by colleagues in the Cornwall Marine Network which is a key part of the newly formed Maritime UK South West cluster organisation, albeit the component parts are already well established. A full agenda will consider all the current maritime news and developments from delivery of Maritime 2050 priorities to the development of the cluster toolkit and best practice resources to reflection on how the regional network can get involved in delivery of national programmes such as ‘Women in Maritime’ and the National #MaritimeCareers Campaign.
All in all, a busy few months and much more to come!