Maritime UK

The UK’s maritime cluster has existed for decades, maybe centuries – often in the form of common ownership of businesses across different maritime sectors and of mutual business interests.

The current UK approach is multi-tiered, operating at national, regional and sub-regional or local level, and also sectorally. It is built very much on continuing dynamic activity by a wide range of organisations across a very diverse maritime economy. This diversity is regarded as valuable and as strengthening the maritime fabric of the UK. It builds on a strong tradition of active trade and professional associations in the maritime field and offers an opportunity to involve all relevant parties – companies, organisations and collective groupings, as well as individuals.

The challenge in recent years – as now – is how to bring all of these energies together in an optimal way.
Different constituents within the cluster clearly have different motivations for wishing to work together. Of these, three stand out in particular:

• Profile and image of maritime activities (which includes careers promotion)
• Commercial structural and promotional activity
• Political influence