Maritime 2050 Call for Evidence – Expert panel ‘again’ dominated by big business

A Maritime 2050 Call for Evidence has been launched by the UK government’s Department for Transport (DfT) to seek the views of both those within and outside the sector.

The call for evidence, which closes on 16 May, highlights several themes fundamental to the growth of UK maritime – technology, trade, infrastructure, environment, people and security/resilience. As part of the strategy, a series of objectives will be set so that progress against each of these themes can be scrutinised. The consultation is aimed at industry, academia and anyone with an interest in the ongoing success of maritime in the UK.

Peter Green, Chief Executive of National Maritime, commented: “ National Maritime welcomes the call for evidence, Maritime 2050 is another opportunity to build a compelling intellectual case that can resonate with businesses experiences and aspirations”. He added “If we are to truly become a world maritime leader we need far reaching change in the sector. This can only happen if a broad enough section of people are inspired enough by its promises and confident enough about its realisation. As UK SMEs account for at least 99.5% of the businesses in every main industry sector and account for three fifths of the employment and around half of turnover in the UK private sector, surely it’s in the best interests of the wider UK maritime sector and the nation to start involving our sectors highly rated and innovative SME’s on industry expert panels to help positively drive and create better industrial policies, that will establish new waves of industries and create jobs for the benefit of all. As a sector, we appear to have an obsession with the established order and a reliance on Government to subsidise our future development, which must raise doubts about whose interests these panels are actually serving. Yes, by all means respect the old but at the same time we also need to support and protect the young ?”

Find out more