Deadweight tonnage of the UK-registered trading fleet decreased by 27%
Figures launched by the Department for Transport show that the deadweight tonnage of the UK-registered trading fleet has decreased by 27% since 2009, whilst the combined deadweight tonnage of the world trading fleet has increased by 34%.
The total number of ships in the world trading fleet has increased by 5% from 54,125 ships to 56.759, but the number of vessels registered in the UK decreased by 36%, from 712 to 453 during the same period.
In 2013 alone, 66 ships left the UK flag whilst only 19 joined – with countries such as Singapore and China being among the key beneficiaries.
Guy Platten, Chief Executive of the UK Chamber said:“Whilst UK shipping as a whole remains relatively strong, these statistics show that the UK flag does not appear to be as commercial, competitive or attractive to international shipowners as it should be”
Despite the decline in recent years, the UK registered fleet is still four times the size it was in the late 1990s, having increased from 2.7 million dwt to 12.6 million dwt – although down from a high point of 17.7million dwt in 2011. Over the same period, UK direct owned tonnage more than doubled, from 7.2 million dwt to 16.5 dwt. This boost was largely the result of the introduction of the Tonnage Tax regime in 2000.
There are also embryonic signs of recovery in the UK Parent-Owned fleet, which showed the first increase since before the economic crisis – moving from 789 to 798 vessels, with an increase from 29.4million deadweight tonnes to 30.1million in 2014.
Mr Platten continued: “These figures show the extent to which the UK is facing unprecedented competition from abroad. Shipping moves 90% of global trade, and ships can register in a wide variety of countries, all of whom are competing with each other for maritime business.
The statistics come shortly after government announced a Maritime Growth Study’, to ensure the UK can compete effectively across the world.
Mr Platten said: “The government should be congratulated on taking this threat seriously, and being proactive in working with industry to maximise UK competitiveness. But these latest figures show we are not just trying to improve on our current position, but reverse a trend that is seeing shipping business move eastwards.
“A key part of the Maritime Growth Study is to look critically at the UK Ship Register and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to see what reforms are necessary to halt and reverse these declining trends. There are fantastic opportunities out there in global shipping, and the UK is well placed to exploit them – but there is no doubt there is a great deal of work to be done.”
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Source: UK Chamber of Shipping