Shipping: Coronavirus

(asked on 4th September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans her Department has to support the maritime sector as part of the economic recovery from covid-19.


Answered by
Graham Stuart Portrait
Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This question was answered on 14th September 2020

With 95% of our imports and exports reliant on the sea and just under 1 million jobs dependent on maritime related activities, the maritime sector is critical to the UK’s economy. Uncertainties around global recovery and fluctuations in global trade have severely impacted the sector.

The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) support for the maritime sector’s recovery is being developed in partnership with the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and key industry bodies; the DfT COVID-19 recovery plan will be published in the coming months.

DIT is delivering a programme of virtual trade events to help the sector reach existing and potential customers across the globe, mitigating some of the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions on physical trade events. DIT remains committed to delivering Promoting the UK’s world-class global maritime offer, the Department’s five-year plan for the sector, focused on the key themes and drivers of growth identified in Government’s Maritime 2050 Strategy.

Reticulating Splines