May 2023

Maritime UK Regional Council – May 2023

Regional Round-up

 

Maritime UK South West (Sheldon Ryan and Paul Wickes)

·         As host region, Maritime UK South West presented in detail around their current work, regional assets and opportunities with a particular focus on offshore wind (including floating offshore wind) and the opportunities that have arisen from strong engagement with HMG funding, including multiple rounds of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.

·         Hosted a joint visit to the South West by the Department for Transport (early May 2023). 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. More here: https://cornwallmarine.net/news/cornwall-marine-network-welcomes-the-department-of-transport-dft-as-they-visit-to-the-region

·         CMN supported MUK by hosting the inaugural MUK Roadshow for Girls event focussed on maritime themed STEM activities in Falmouth on 30th June 2023.

·         FLOW workforce demand taskgroup – engaging with to develop a developmental plan and wider understanding of requirements.

·         Launched Cockwells Boatbuilding Academy with the support of 16 new apprentices.

·         Cornwall Marine Network currently engaged with bidding for multiple new funding opportunities, including into the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (regional allocations in the SW).

·         Noted that new statistics reveal the national apprenticeship ‘success rate’ has fallen to 51%; CMN figure is 70%.

·         Two key SW focused programmes are now coming to a conclusion, e.g. Marine-i. Marine-i led and galvanised business-led and market-driven Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) over the six years 2017 - March 2023. More details here: https://www.marine-i.co.uk/ (overall project work). Visit the following link for more details of the ‘success’ / outcomes of the project: https://www.marine-i.co.uk/

·         ‘Launchpad’ bid is currently pending with Innovate UK.

·         Bids submitted from the region for the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure (ZEVI) competition following recent engagement opportunity arranged in collaboration with UK SHORE.

·         Falmouth Docks have secured nearly £1million of UK SPF funding to undertake an environmental impact assessment (EIA) to inform potential redevelopment: https://maritimeuksw.org/falmouth-docks-secures-funding-to-inform-potential-redevelopment/

 

Mersey Maritime (Ruth Wood and Simon Eardley)

·         Regular and one-off cluster events since the last meeting of the Regional Council:

o   27 January 2023 - Policy Forum event with Baroness Vere who received a briefing from CSR and SE on the regional cluster development programme. This was followed by a site visit to the proposed new Maritime Knowledge Hub in Birkenhead.

o   01 February – launch of Kays Logistics event and ‘Meet the Buyer’ with Kays Medical.

o   07 February – Face-2-Face – opportunities at London International Shipping Week, following by workshop on LISW for Port City Innovation Hub participants.

o   22 February – UK SHORE update event and briefing (ZEVI) in collaboration with the Department for Transport.

o   28 February – site visit and maritime simulator tour with Liverpool John Moores University.

o   07 March – Face-2-Face – Maersk.

o   04 April - Face-2-Face – on the road – visit to Essar / Stanlow Manufacturing Complex.

o   Various drop-in surgery events.

·         Planning is well advanced for the next Mersey Maritime Exchange Conference which will take place on 22nd June 2023. The broad themes of ‘Technology/Innovation’ and ‘People/Skills’ will be the focus with speakers drawn from across industry and government. More details here: https://merseymaritime.co.uk/mme23/

·         The Battle of the Atlantic Memorial Weekend will take place variously in Liverpool on 26-28 May 2023. A series of events outside this time have also been planned around this major and critical battle of WWII which the city had such a significant role in. Full details here: https://battleoftheatlantic.org/boam-events/

·         Mersey Maritime will hold its ‘Mersey on the Thames’ event at London International Shipping Week on 12 September 2023, hosted by the Shadow Maritime Minister, Mike Kane MP at the House of Commons. This event will be by invitation only owing to space.

·         Regional Cluster Development Plan and Programme delivery. CSR and SE continue to deliver this important activity which has included key activities in recent months such as:

o   Future programme planning – extensive engagement with the Department for Transport around planning and implementation work for the future phase of this activity. Papers around this activity will be presented to the May 2023 Regional Council meeting.

o   Facilitating all the regional UK SHORE update events around ZEVI and other competitions (February and March 2023).

o   Supporting major cluster development activity in Northern Ireland in collaboration with Invest NI – specifically their latest workshop on 09 February 2023.

o   Supporting significant cluster development activity in the South East – specifically a workshop held on 27 April 2023 with the support of DFDS.

·         Other upcoming events:

o   ‘Fireside chat’ with the First Sea Lord, 26 May 2023.

o   Regular Face-2-Face networking with Peel Ports Group, 06 June 2023 follows by a ‘Meet the Buyer’ Port City Innovation Hub event.

o   Mersey Maritime Industry Awards 2023 will be held at Liverpool Cathedral on 02 November 2023.

·         Key projects to deliver in the future (ongoing in most cases):

o   Maritime Knowledge Hub project – various partner engagement sessions have been held between MM, Peel L&P and likely tenants/occupiers. Planning permission has now been fully granted for the site and there is a wish to commence building from the Autumn. Delivery of this work is a key focus for the Mersey Maritime team going forward.

o   Maintaining the regular programme of ‘eco-system’ events.

o   Delivery of key activity such as the MME23 and the MMIA23.

South East (Dieter Jaenicke)

·         SE Cluster Development Workshop held on 27 April 2023 and hosted by DFDS. 15 key potential partners to help build the cluster present. Facilitated and supported by the Maritime UK Regional Cluster Development team. Action notes issued.

·         Established broad themes for the focus of the new cluster: digital borders, people and innovation, net zero green, new technology and risk mitigation opportunities.

·         Intend to hold a follow-up meeting in the summer with a robust timetable to established the organisation in the coming months with appropriate governance in place.

Maritime UK Solent (Stuart Baker and Lorna Wagner)

·         New website launched. View here: https://muksolent.com/

·         Solent LEP engagement with Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP around a shipbuilding project, Britannia Maritime (diesel/electric hybrid vessel) to be constructed across UK shipyards as a multi-use vessel. Discussions ongoing around funding opportunities across LEPs and Maritime Regional Clusters.

·         Maritime UK Solent Awards to take place on 05 October 2023 and all preparations well advanced to build on the success of the previous event in 2022. Details here: https://muksolent.com/muksolent-awards-2023/

·         The Solent maritime cluster will host a visit for officials from the Department for Transport on 12 June. An extensive programme has been put together to showcase the Solent offer. The event was successful with a large number of businesses involved and DfT officials leaving with a clear understanding of the opportunities to grow the UK maritime offer in the Solent.

·         ‘Maritime and Decarbonisation Innovation Hub’. Collaborative work with the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton is ongoing.

·         Solent Decarbonisation Cluster. Partner working with the University of Southampton and ExxonMobil. Bid has been submitted to HMG for ‘track 2’ status with a focus on carbon capture and storage. Combined economic impact is 1% of total UK GDP. More details here: https://www.thesolentcluster.com/

·         Maritime skills will be reflected in engagement with ‘Local Skills Improvement Plan’ activity (submitted by the end of May 2023).

·         Seawork Trade Show (June 2023) – MUK Solent will have a presence.

·         Southampton International Boatshow (15-24 September 2023) – MUK Solent will have a strong presence.

·         Roadshow for Girls. Scheduled for 29 September 2023 at QinetiQ.

·         Engaging in a local STEM education project with local schools.

·         Hosting a tour by George Freeman MP - the Science, Innovation and Technology Minister (27th April 2023) – as part of his engagement with innovation clusters across the UK.  This provided a key opportunity to promote maritime innovation in the Solent.

 

Scotland (Duncan Cunningham)

·         Joint Offshore Wind Decarbonisation Conference with the British Ports Association, the Workboat Association, UK Ship Register and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency held on 22 February 2023. More details and an overview of the event here: https://www.ukshipregister.co.uk/news/register-for-our-upcoming-offshore-wind-decarbonisation-conference/

·         Ongoing engagement and update meetings held with Transport Scotland, the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology and Scottish Enterprise around cluster activity on an ongoing basis.

·         Membership interest is strong with two new members recently recruited (Seapeak and Scottish Power Renewables) and further in the pipeline.

·         Finalising arrangements for the employment of a ‘Business Support Officer.’ This role is being funded with the support of members and will give extra capacity to the wider team at the SMC.

·         London International Shipping Week reception planned for the first Monday at Dover House. [Subsequently this has moved to the Churchill Room, HM Treasury].

·         Wide range of other member engagement planned in the coming weeks including the next regular membership Meeting in the 3rd week of June (HMS Prince of Wales) – SMC Board meeting, members wider engagement and a tour of the vessel.

 

Belfast Maritime Consortium (David Tyler)

·         Invest Northern Ireland support remains ongoing around the ‘next phase’ of regional cluster development in NI with the ambition to establish a full NI Maritime and Offshore Wind Cluster in the coming months, building on the existing work of the BMC but much wider in terms of scope.

·         Three year funding package to build the collaborative network has been agreed and now being implemented with a project facilitator in place and beginning work.

·         Maritime UK Awards 2024 will take place in Belfast (March 2024) and will be supported by regional stakeholders including the BMC, Invest NI and others.

·         London International Shipping Week 2023. The intention is to have the Pioneer vessel on the Thames at the start of the week at a major launch event for the Global Maritime Hub.

·         The BMC will have a presence at DSEI 2023 which is running between 12-15 September 2023.

·         Success for Artemis Technologies in CMDC3: https://www.artemistechnologies.co.uk/news/clean-maritime-demonstration-competition-cmdc-wave-three

·         Inaugural careers open event held in March 2023 (over 250 guests present at the Titanic Quarter, Belfast): https://www.artemistechnologies.co.uk/news/careers-open-evening-2023

 

Humber Marine & Renewables (Camilla Carlbom-Flinn)

·         Strong delivery of the Offshore Wind Connections Conference 2023. 350 visitors present and 50 exhibitors. Landing page for 2024 available here: http://www.offshorewindconnections.com/

·         Will be present at Global Offshore Wind (14/15 June 2023).

·         New director appointed, Kurt Christensen (Managing Director of Wind Power Support). More details: http://windpowersupport.com/index.html

·         Delighted that the Maritime UK Awards and associated events were hosted in Hull in March 2023. Write up here: https://www.humber-marine-renewables.co.uk/maritime-uk-award-winners-announced-in-hull/

·         Collaborative Trade Mission to the Port of Esbjerg Denmark 19-21 April 2023, with the support of HM&R and partners.