Posted on: 10 March 2022
The International Trade Secretary today announced a new exports office to turbocharge the UK’s maritime trade sector as part of a £4 billion investment in shipbuilding.
- Trade Secretary launches new Maritime Capability Campaign Office (MCCO) to unleash UK’s maritime exports potential
- £206 million for UK SHORE (which will deliver the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition v2)
- New National Shipbuilding Strategy will invest £4 billion into UK shipbuilding over next three years
The Maritime Capability Campaign Office (MCCO) will unite the Department’s defence export and civil maritime capabilities in one unit, targeting export opportunities estimated to be worth up to £600 million.
The International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:
“As an island nation with a proud maritime heritage, shipbuilding is a vital part of the UK’s industrial identity, supporting over 40,000 high-quality jobs across the country.
“Our new Maritime Capability Campaign Office will champion exports and investments, unlocking opportunities for our world-class shipbuilding industry to export their innovative technologies, services and designs around the globe.
“Working in lockstep with business, we will build on our world-leading maritime capabilities, strengthening our global reputation as a thriving maritime industrial base and leveraging our strengths in maritime defence and low-carbon technologies.
“Today the International Trade Secretary will also publish the Board of Trade’s first paper of 2022, which outlines the huge opportunities in the maritime sector for boosting exports, reaching Net Zero and creating high-paying jobs across the country.
“The new paper also outlines how the UK can cement its position as a world-leading maritime nation by capitalising on its strengths in technology, innovation, maritime services and regulation.”
UK SHORE has been established to establish the UK’s role as a world leader in shaping the future of transport, the Government will create its first office purely dedicated to making maritime greener – pioneering new research and development of technology which could make journeys by sea as green as they were hundreds of years ago.
Known as the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE), the new unit will be housed in the Department for Transport, building on the success of the UK’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) launched last year.
Dedicated to creating a world free from shipping emissions, UK SHORE will implement a comprehensive R&D programme, including a multi-year clean maritime demonstration competition, and will work in partnership with industry to tackle supply and demand issues with ship building and help build greener vessels – from cruises, to tankers to and leisure boats.
UK SHORE will also help develop the infrastructure to enable zero emission technologies, and the physical infrastructure needed to power these new-age vessels. The programme will include a multitude of technologies including hydrogen, electric and ammonia, and this funding will place the UK among the leading nations in the development of new and innovative vessels and port infrastructure.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:
“Climate change is a global challenge and it’s essential that, with our maritime sector’s rich history of green travel, dating back thousands of years, we tackle shipping emissions.
“I want UK-SHORE to take the industry back to the future. The age of the sail was the first green maritime age; new technology will bring us to a second green age. And as we turn the tide for green shipping, I can’t wait to see thousands of new jobs created around the country too – from masterful shipbuilding to the high-tech sailors of tomorrow.”
Chief Executive of Maritime London, Jos Standerwick, said:
“As part of the UK’s Maritime Export and Investment Group we have worked hard on behalf of our members to bring the MCCO into being. As an industry that derives over 80% of our sales from overseas, the MCCO has the potential to add significant value to how association and our members when in engaging with overseas markets. We are already working on several new projects as a consequence of the MCCO and we will make sure this unique function delivers on behalf of our member and the sector.
“While the majority of the £4bn funding for UK shipbuilding is focused on the defence industry, there is also a definite aspiration to build the UK’s commercial capacity, the commitment of an initial £2million in funding to set up a Home Shipbuilding Scheme will provide an important stimulus to achieve this ambition.
“The £206m for UK SHORE was sourced from the additional £300m awarded to the DfT reported to members as part pf the 2021 Autumn spending review, Maritime London through the Clean Maritime Council and various other working groups has worked hard to bring UK SHORE to reality, this stimulus presents unprecedented opportunity for members in the form of direct investment and through providing the full spectrum of professional services that will be required as a result of this investment.
“Maritime London in partnership with our fellow Maritime UK associations have worked hard to secure this unprecedented support from the UK government and will now work with members to ensure both the shipbuilding strategy and the MCCO will add value to your businesses and the sector. Of course, we cannot lose sight of the fact that this taxpayers money and we must ensure the money is invested responsibly for the good the maritime sector and the UK.”
Jos will be taking part in a webinar on 31st March, focused on the Establishment of the MCCO, details to follow soon.
