Maritime Skills Commission

Maritime UK and the Department for Transport have established a Maritime Skills Commission to lead the sector’s work in ensuring the maritime sector has a pipeline of talented people to serve all parts of the sector covering shipping, ports, leisure marine, engineering, science and professional services.

The Department for Transport first announced the Commission in its Maritime 2050 strategy in January 2019.  In September 2019 it published its People Route Map with more detail.

On 1 July 2020, the Minister provided a Tasking Letter which stated the Commission’s job is to:

1.       Understand the skills needs of the sector, including the effects of technological change, and to make recommendations for action

2.       Ensure that no part of the sector suffers from serious skills shortages or skills gaps

3.       Ensure that the sector has the apprenticeships and qualifications it needs

4.       Ensure the sector has the training provision it needs, (including the use of technology to engage learners and keep costs down)

5.       Provide employers and individuals with clear information about career paths and re-training options

6.       Ensuring that employers have good quality recruits for their vacancies through effective promotion of maritime careers

7.       Increase exports of maritime education and training

The Commission report jointly to the Maritime Minister and to Maritime UK’s National Council.

Maritime UK’s Diversity in Maritime Taskforce and Careers Taskforce will work closely with the Commission to ensure their work programmes reflect the latest labour market intelligence produced by the MSC.

Membership

The Maritime Skills Commission comprises of the following people:

• Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor, University of Central Lancashire (Chair)
• Lucy Armstrong, Chair, Port of Tyne
• Mark Dickinson, General Secretary, Nautilus International
• Ian Hampton, Chair, Diversity in Maritime Taskforce/COO and Executive Director, Stena Line
• Kerry Hourihan, Head of Maritime Skills and Training, Department for Transport
• Lambros Klaoudatos, Senior Vice President, Shipping, bp
  
• Monica Kohli, Senior Lawyer, FD&D, Gard (UK)
• Paul Little, Chair, UK Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce and CEO, City of Glasgow College
• Sam McBriar, Director, Maritime Strategy and Marketing, Thales UK
• Colin McMurray, Director of Commercialisation and Skills, Forth Valley College
• Kathryn Neilson, Director, Merchant Navy Training Board
• Linton Roberts, Director Operations, Cammell Laird
• Alison Rumsey, Chief HR Officer, Associated British Ports
• Helen Sampson, Director Seafarers International Research Centre, Cardiff University
• Nikki Sayer, Director, Casper Shipping
• Rear Admiral Jude Terry, Director People and Training and Naval Secretary, Royal Navy
• David Tournay, Secretary, Maritime Skills Alliance
• Karen Waltham, Karen Waltham Consulting
• Katy Ware, Director of UK Maritime Services, Maritime and Coastguard Agency 

A membership guidance letter from Graham Baldwin was published in March 2020 describing the process to form the Commission.

The Commission is committed to communications and we will continue to update this page regularly.