Plans announced for Maritime UK Week 2020

Maritime UK Week has been organised as an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the UK's maritime sector, its role and future. It follows a period where the maritime sector’s role as the fundamental enabler of trade and critical freight supplies into the country were reasserted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maritime UK Week 2020 will feature a combination of virtual and physical events, taking place across the breadth of the sector and the length of the country, from Monday 12 October to Sunday 18 October. 

The event programme includes a combination of industry events and public outreach activity. Industry events will include a focus on how the sector will recover from COVID-19, and how maritime can support recovery for the rest of the economy. Major themes will be how the sector gets to net-zero, builds its competitiveness and helps level-up all parts of the country.

Engaging the public

The week will be used to talk to the public about the maritime sector, its role, and the various careers available across what is one of Britain’s biggest industries.

Activities will include:

• Virtual tours of ports and ships
• A virtual career fair
• Live Q&A sessions maritime people
• ‘Maritime in the 21^st century’ at maritime museums

The public engagement activity is being led by Lorna Wagner, Programme Manager at Maritime UK:

“With the sector expected to double in size to $3trn by 2030, we need the next generation of innovators and problem solvers to join the industry and help shape the future of the world we live in. We are using Maritime UK Week as an opportunity to focus on the good news stories about the sector and the myriad of varied, exciting, and satisfying career pathways within our new careers’ professionals network has members from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and through them it is our ambition to support maritime careers learning using our resources in schools and colleges across the UK. The rewards of working in maritime has been one of the UK’s best kept secrets, it’s time to share the news”

Focused sessions for those who have recently become unemployed from across the economy due to COVID-19 will be delivered, offering a briefing on the maritime sector and some of the specific live opportunities available.

Looking to the future 

Events already in the calendar include the launch of London International Shipping 2021, the finalist reception for the Maritime Masters competition and a series of Diversity in Maritime webinars. The UK government is expected to announce measures to support the sector’s recovery during Maritime UK Week.

Maritime UK will use the week to make the case for significant government investment in the sector – particularly in research and innovation to enable the maritime industries to meet their legal net-zero obligations.

Getting involved

As well as directly registering for events and activities on an individual basis, maritime businesses and other partners are urged to get involved and support the week.

Companies are invited to organise an event during the week, and can do so here 

Visit the Maritime UK Week website: www.maritimeuk.org/week