SMI Publishes Maritime Trade Export Promotion Report

The Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) has published From Pavilion to Pipeline: The Case for Maritime Trade Export Promotion, a new report demonstrating the exceptional value of government-backed trade show support for UK maritime SMEs.

Drawing on seven detailed case studies, the report shows how a Department for Business and Trade contribution of just £42,668 towards exhibiting at international trade shows helped generate £9.04 million in export value.

The wider economic impact is equally striking: £7.21 million in gross value added, 88 full-time equivalent jobs supported, and £2.67 million returned to the Exchequer in tax revenue. This means that for every £1 of DBT support, £63 was returned to the public purse.

SMI strongly believes that targeted, modest interventions of this kind are among the most cost-effective tools available to government for driving export-led growth. The report calls on the Government to sustain and expand trade show support for the maritime sector, ensuring that innovative UK companies can convert international exhibition presence into a pipeline of export orders.

The full report is available to download here