Liverpool Maritime Sector Praised by Industry Heavyweight
17th April 2018
Liverpool city region’s £4bn powerhouse maritime sector will lead the UK’s industrial strategy in the coming decades – so says one of the country’s industry leaders.
And David Dingle, who is both chairman of industry body Maritime UK and cruise giant Carnival UK, also praised the “amazing” £25m Maritime Knowledge Hub (MKH) planned for Wirral Waters.
He spoke at a top-level industry dinner at Liverpool’s Malmaison Hotel organised by Mersey Maritime. Among the guests were representatives of the UK Chamber of Shipping, the British Ports Association, the Society of Maritime Industries, British Marine, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and Maritime London, among others.
Also at the dinner were senior executives from the Mersey maritime sector including Peel Ports and law firm Hill Dickinson, the leader of Wirral Council, Phil Davies, Sir Michael Bibby, Professor Janet Hemingway; Director of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Professor Nigel Weatherill, Vice Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.
The MKH is being led by Mersey Maritime and the umbrella organisation is now working closely with Maritime UK on influencing the Government’s industrial strategy. And Mr Dingle acknowledged that the “collaborative approach” of the Merseyside sector was now a model for the rest of the UK to follow.
He added: “We are working really closely with the Government. The relationship between the Government and the maritime industry has never been stronger than it is right now.”
The sector deal proposal has a significant focus on technology and innovation, which if supported by government would see the UK take the lead in the development of autonomous and green shipping.