Maritime industry gathers to consider sector’s future course
Liverpool-based Peel Ports will join industry and senior Government officials at the third annual Mersey Maritime Exchange conference today (June 25) to discuss the future of the maritime sector in the UK.
The Mersey Maritime Exchange was originally conceived in response to the Government’s Maritime 2050 report, which set out the future of the sector over the next three decades.
Central to this sits the Maritime Knowledge Hub, which provides opportunity to build skills, enable business support and development, with a focus on topical issues to help the Government meet its ambition of net zero by 2050.
This year’s event, in partnership with Maritime UK and the DFT, will be held both virtually and in person and will look at ‘Maritime 2050: the journey so far’.
The conference will provide updates on key issues at the heart of the report, including technology and innovation, the need for a highly trained workforce, decarbonisation and the regional impact of the sector.
Attending the event will be senior government officials including Robert Courts, Maritime Minister, and key industry representatives from across the sector.
Stephen Carr, commercial director at Peel Ports, has been invited to join a discussion panel on the day. He will partake in a conversation centred on the positive, sustainable impact ports offer to the local economy and the wider region, as well as how they support the levelling up agenda and the future of maritime.
Carr will discuss the vital role of the port in the local region and share details on how the Port of Liverpool continues to drive investment in people, infrastructure and sustainable technologies.
Ports are vital to regional growth and Liverpool City Region recently cemented the role it has to play in the Maritime sector following the announcement of Freeport status.
Supported by Peel Ports and its continuous investments, such as its £400m Liverpool2 container terminal, Freeport status will attract outside investment, innovation and will secure job opportunities for years to come.
Mark Whitworth, chief executive at Peel Ports, said: “Maritime 2050 is a vitally important framework and its key themes capture the very essence of the maritime sector.
“We’re delighted to join senior ministers and industry peers to discuss the journey so far.
“As the maritime industry continues to thrive, our aim with major investment into infrastructure projects across the Port of Liverpool is to create long term, sustainable and greener opportunities to help shape the future of the regions we operate in.
“This will help ensure that as many people as possible have the chance to share in the continued prosperity of the Port of Liverpool.”
He added: “We’re confident our presence in the region will grow even further as a result of these investment plans, and as a long term partner of Mersey Maritime, we look forward to sharing our vision at the conference.”
Other key speakers at the conference include Chris Shirling-Rooke, chief executive of Mersey Maritime, which represents the region’s maritime-related industries, Sarah Kenny, chief executive of BMT and chair of Mersey Maritime, and Mark Dickenson, General Secretary of Nautilus International.
Virtual registration for the conference is open to all via the Mersey Maritime website.
