- Coastal communities will benefit from nearly £1m to boost local economies, link businesses with industry and get more people into maritime.
- Funding will drive further investment into regions, with clusters such as Cornwall having already added £630m to the local economy.
- Money will also support careers, education, training, and skills to encourage more people into the sector.
Nine maritime clusters across the UK will receive a share of government funding, helping them secure investment for local industry, deliver skills, training and educational programmes, Maritime Minister Mike Kane will announce today.
The maritime sector is key to unlocking regional economic growth, and this targeted support aims to revitalise coastal towns and cities, help build the UK’s economy and breakdown barriers to opportunity, as well as driving innovation in the sector.
Putting local people and economic opportunity at the heart, the fund will help local entrepreneurs, leaders and schools.
As part of the Government’s mission to drive jobs and economic growth across the country, this latest funding will enable clusters to connect the maritime sector with local businesses, helping to drive private investment into regional maritime.
Maritime Minister, Mike Kane said:
“The UK is a proud maritime nation, with our coastal communities being vital in unleashing our full potential and unlocking economic growth across the country.
“By investing in our excellent maritime clusters, we can deliver jobs, skills and training for local communities and turbocharge growth by delivering investment into the sector.”
This fund, managed for the Government by Maritime UK, will bolster the already transformational work delivered by some clusters, with CMN having already added £630m to the local economy, as well £42m of private investment into skills.
It will also help emerging clusters to build up resources, explore networking opportunities, invest in innovation and increase their regional activity.
In Mersey, £100,000 funding will enable the cluster to establish an annual innovation showcase to attract foreign investors to the region and boost the North West economy.
The launch of the new Mersey Maritime project: Navigating Maritime Innovation in the Liverpool City Region will be backed with £100,000 of DfT funding and significant matched funding from industry and academic partners including:
- Bibby Marine
- Cammell Laird
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Peel Ports Group
- Royal HaskoningDHV
- The Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC)
- University of Liverpool
Commenting, Ruth Wood, Chief Executive of Mersey Maritime said:
“We welcome this significant support from the Department for Transport which will assist Mersey Maritime and our members across the Liverpool City Region to maximise innovation opportunities. Our focus over the last year has pivoted towards supporting our dynamic regional cluster organisation across the key themes of decarbonisation, digitisation and maximising future careers and skills within the industry. Our intention is to use the project support this grant represents to turbo-charge that activity with a focus around innovation activities which are essential for us to achieve ambitious plans, putting Liverpool at the forefront of delivering a cleaner, greener maritime industry. We have a range of fantastic businesses and academic partners already doing much around this work and focus – from decarbonising the next generation of offshore service vessels to practical steps port-side to deliver energy transition. We look forward to supporting Mersey Maritime businesses further with their work in this field over the course of the next year.”
Simon Eardley, Head of Policy and Innovation at Mersey Maritime, added:
“Mersey Maritime, through its national leadership of the regional cluster development programme between 2019 and 2023, helped make the case to Government for further direct investment into organisations that support the maritime industry in their respective areas. This funding was announced at London International Shipping Week in September 2023 and we are proud to have helped to deliver what has the potential to further transform the dynamic maritime clusters which are scattered across the United Kingdom. Here in the Liverpool City Region, we will deliver practically focused events and activities to support our dynamic eco-system which is increasingly focused on the biggest challenge of our time – how we deliver net zero and decarbonisation in a realistic and sustainable way. We look forward to outlining more of what this LCR Navigating Maritime Innovation project will look like in the months ahead. This funding support will go a long way to helping us realise our plans and core objectives.”
The announcement comes on the same day as the Maritime UK National Council meeting, and as the Maritime Minister welcomes the new Maritime UK Chairman, Tom Boardley, who will take up his post in the New Year.
Chris Shirling-Rooke MBE, Chief Executive of Maritime UK, said:
“Today is an incredible milestone for the maritime industry across the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Maritime Cluster Development Fund will create real impact and make a tangible difference to our most precious of places – our coastal communities.
“Having been on this incredible journey with partners at the Department for Transport for more than six years, this labour of love for all of us is testament to the power of collaboration and partnership. I look forward to seeing all of our maritime clusters thrive and creating those vital jobs and growth where they’re needed most.”
The nine clusters receiving funding (incl. allocation breakdown) are:
- Tees Maritime Cluster (£117,000)
- Humber Marine & Renewables (£85,000)
- Short Straits Maritime Cluster (£85,000)
- Cornwall Marine Network (£124,100)
- Mersey Maritime (£100,000)
- Northern Ireland Maritime & Offshore (£100,000)
- Scottish Maritime Cluster (£85,000)
- Maritime UK South-West (£85,000)
- Maritime UK Solent (£85,000)
To view full press release from Department for Transport, please click HERE
