Maritime UK SW host Department for Transport Maritime Team

Maritime UK SW and partners Cornwall Marine Network, welcomed Petra Wilkinson CBE, Director of Maritime, and 10 others from the Maritime Team at the Department for Transport (DfT) on a two day visit to the South West. Petra’s team were very interested to understand the world class maritime skills, support organisations, facilities, innovations and businesses the region has to offer.
As a Maritime Cluster representing over 3.5 Billion in GVA and 25,000 employees, Maritime UK SW were able to present the numerous opportunities open to the sector and also some of the challenges faced with view to increasing collaborative working between the region and government on the maritime economy.
Presentations included challenges for ports in developing appropriate infrastructure and the wider sector to decarbonise, opportunities presented by floating offshore wind, the freeport, marine autonomy and challenges around the drop off in EU funding for innovation support and skills. Cornwall Marine Network also presented the nationally recognised business support model at CMN, including employer-led skills and training, green skills and sustainability and business support for SME’s using both radical and incremental innovation.

Maritime UK SW very much look forward to working with the Maritime Team at DfT to develop new support and services to the SW maritime sector and would like to thank the DfT team for visiting the region.