At the start of London International Shipping Week (LISW), the UK Chamber of Shipping has launched a new report to provide an overview of the value of the shipping industry to the UK.
#1 Shipping supports jobs
The report, Value of Shipping: Delivering a Prosperous UK, highlights the central role shipping plays in the prosperity of the UK with 61,000 jobs directly in the shipping sector and a further 585,000 jobs in the wider supply chain and economy. These jobs are not just in traditional maritime areas, but include landlocked parts of the UK such as the West Midlands with over 10,000 jobs and £86m of economic benefit linked to shipping.
Key findings:
- Shipping supports 650,000 jobs in the UK with each job in shipping supporting 10 more outside of the industry. These jobs are all over the UK, including over 10,000 in the landlocked West Midlands
- Over £30bn of pharmaceuticals, such as insulin which has a low UK manufacturing base, are brought in via ship
- £29.5bn of UK cars are exported by ship
#2 Export and import of products
The report also points out that shipping is essential to the UK for moving materials, goods and people between different parts of the UK, from neighbouring countries in Europe, and deep sea routes to Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the Americas.
Shipping ensures vital components and products arrive on our shores and enables our exports to be distributed across the world. With 110,000 vessels calling at UK ports annually and a similar number transiting around the coast, their safe and efficient operation is vital to the UK economy, the report finds.
#3 Decarbonisation and technology
As the sector decarbonises and makes greater use of technology the report showcases some of the new roles that will become increasingly required, the report predicts. These include land based control centre staff operating ships remotely and highly skilled engineers who will be needed to maintain new generation engines powered by low and zero carbon fuels.
The report notes that is important that, as an industry, shipping is ensuring that both new entrants and existing workers have the skills they need to be able to take advantage of these new opportunities.
The analysis demonstrates shipping’s contribution to every aspect of our daily lives. Be it supporting the export of famous UK products such as the Mini, the import of crucial medicines like insulin or helping millions of people go on holiday the importance of shipping to our economic prosperity and social wellbeing cannot be overstated.
… commented UK Chamber of Shipping Chief Executive, Sarah Treseder
#4 Offshore wind sector
Sarah Treseder supplied that shipping will be crucial as the offshore wind sector expands. They expect to see a 250% increase in the number of vessels helping to service wind farms as part of their installation and operation. This expansion presents a chance for significant regeneration across the UK, but in particular the east coast of Scotland, as part of the transition to a net zero economy, Sarah Treseder concluded.
As the shipping sector takes proactive steps to decarbonise by embracing technological advancements, it opens up a new frontier of possibilities. This transformation will demand new skills and expertise, creating a golden opportunity for more people to venture into this evolving industry.
… said Maritime Minister, Baroness Vere
In an exclusive interview with SAFETY4SEA, Sarah Treseder had also stated that to ensure clear pathways to decarbonisation, the industry needs to invest in research and development for new fuels and technologies and upskill workforce to get ready for this green transition.
