Seafarer ratings union RMT reacted with concern. RMT’s SOS 2020 campaign argues that the MGS was written by ship owners and City-based maritime services, to the detriment of UK seafarers, who only occupy around 10% of seafarer jobs in the UK shipping industry. RMT National Secretary said: “The Growth Study continues to avoid the maritime employment and equality issues driving the decline in UK seafarers. We face a maritime skills deficit in a few years but now the Government is talking about crewless ships. That is no way to react to the opportunities for the next generation of UK seafarers in growth areas like cruise, decommissioning and renewable energy”.
https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-concerns-over-governments-maritime-growth-study-review/
UK Maritime Minister, Nusrat Ghani, has commented on a newly-released review of the Maritime Growth Study, stating that the Government must further clarify how it will support the UK maritime sector. The ‘Maritime Growth Study’ report published in September 2015 produced 18 recommendations that concentrate on government and industry leadership, skills and marketing. However, a review was deemed necessary and was launched by UK Ministers in January 2017 to tackle a changing political and economic environment, including the decision to leave the EU.
British Ports Association, Chief Executive said: “UK ports were generally positive about the Maritime Growth Study and its attempts to promote the sector to wider audiences. However, quite whether the study will lead to actual measurable growth in cargo and port activities remains to be seen.”
Peter Green, Chief Executive, National Maritime said: “The cautionary references made within the review concerning Maritime UK’s ability to adequately represent the whole UK maritime sector and their asks of Government to subsidise its future development, must surely raise doubts about whose interests MUK actually serves. A future MUK dependant on state subsidies may be good for the selected few or those at the highest level but not necessarily for those SME’s operating within the sector”
The Study Review document can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maritime-growth-study-review