Blog: Keeping Britain Supplied: Maritime UK's response to COVID-19
As the immediate consequences of the outbreak of COVID-19 have made themselves known in the UK, through health ramifications, strict government regulations, and the dramatic drops in economic activity across the board, the effects on national infrastructure also became apparent. The integral role the maritime sector plays in ensuring the supply of goods such as food and medicine into the country means keeping the maritime ecosystem afloat during the current crisis has taken on national importance.
As the umbrella body and collective voice for the maritime sector in the UK, we have a responsibility to respond to the current situation in order to mitigate the negative effects currently felt by maritime businesses, workers and local economies. Working with our members from across the maritime industries; engineering, ports, shipping, professional services and leisure marine, we are working hard to ensure that the collective needs of the maritime sector are heard by government and other key decision makers. We’re helping each part of the sector by amplifying their asks of government and identifying those common issues for the sector as a whole, and also working with others across the economy to seek solutions.
As businesses manage acute cashflow pressures, Maritime UK and its members have designed mechanisms to ensure all parts of the sector are kept abreast of developments, critical information is disseminated, proactive initiatives are delivered to support companies during the crisis and that planning begins for a future beyond the lockdown. These initiatives include weekly update meetings with Maritime UK’s National and Regional Councils (the former bringing together national trade bodies and the latter regional clusters), the creation of the COVID-19 Hub with up-to-date information for employees and businesses from across the sector, delivery of webinars and the establishment of the Maritime Business Continuity Taskforce (MBCT).
The MBCT consists of Maritime UK members from different maritime industries and officials from government and is designed both to identify barriers preventing companies accessing government support schemes and to deliver activity helping companies navigate application processes and secure this support. An important part of this work is gaining a sector-wide overview of areas at particular risk, both in the immediate, medium and long term. The MBCT is therefore currently collating information to create a ‘Risk register’ which will help us demonstrate to government which parts of the sector are most at risk and when. The MBCT is a useful conduit for the work underway across the sector in each MUK trade body.
Beyond the immediate crisis response already taking place across the different maritime industries, the MBCT will lead sector work on planning for the post-lockdown rebuild and recovery phase of this crisis. It has initiated a horizon-scanning exercise asking each part of the sector to identify potential challenges in the coming weeks and months. This work will enable both industry and government to act proactively rather than reactively to mitigate issues that may arise in the long term.
Whilst the pandemic is causing major global disruption, it’s important also to think about the impact on our regional economies. Much has been said in recent months of the importance of regional maritime economies, including cluster organisations working to promote local business. Given their role on the frontline in enabling trade, our coastal communities are particularly exposed to the economic hit the national economy is experiencing. If we take the Solent region alone, the Solent LEP forecasts a loss of £3.5bn owing to the absence of cruise line calls during the crisis. The MUK regional clusters are playing an important role in supporting these regional maritime businesses. The Regional Council brings regions together to share intelligence, develop joint initiatives and feed into the MBCT. Many of the regions are now conducting regular surveys of their community to help direct their support provision.
Just as Brexit shone a spotlight on the critical role our sector plays in supporting the prosperity of the nation, this terrible crisis has done the same. It’s been heartening to see the warmth of feeling shown toward our own key workers – not least seafarers, many of whom are stranded away from home.
Through collective and coordinated action across the sector, we can promote our common interests and work to ensure our sector comes through this crisis and is able to rebuild and recover.