It has been another busy week in Westminster ahead of MPs and Lords heading off for their summer break.

The ‘pingdemic’ has dominated the news agenda this week. Yesterday we joined forces with other leading industries in the Daily Mail and called on the government to exempt those in critical sectors who have been double vaccinated to avoid isolation.

We know the pingdemic has caused issues for lifeline ferry services, offshore energy workers and others providing vital services to our country. Seafarers are key workers and it is paramount those that are double vaccinated can continue doing their essential work without disruption. If members are having issues please get in touch with the team at the Chamber who can assist.

We have today written to the Health Secretary and Transport Secretary once again asking them to do what they can to ensure seafarers of all nationalities are vaccinated when in the UK. There is plenty of coverage of vaccinations being returned from various centres as they are not being used. It makes sense to use these excess supplies to vaccinate the heroes at sea who are contributing to securing the supply chain and supporting international efforts to reduce the COVID impact at a global as well as national level. 

We have constantly argued that shipping is one of the cleanest ways of transporting goods around the world. This week the Department for International Trade published a new report on green trade. The report highlighted the importance of shipping in facilitating green trade and according to the report ships generate 25 to 250 times less emissions than trucks. Our Policy Director Anna Ziou gave her reaction to the report.

I was delighted to hear Nick Stace, the Chief Executive of Saga Travel on the Today Programme on Radio 4 yesterday talking about the issue of international cruise restart. The return of domestic cruising has been a huge success and now is the right time for the government to give international cruising the green light, aligning it with wider international travel.

Finally this week I was delighted to announce that Ineos Trading and Shipping has become the latest organisation to join the Chamber. Ineos is known around the world and it shows the ongoing strength of the Chamber that we are attracting organisations of the calibre of Ineos. We have recruited a range of new members in recent months and by adding to our membership, we continue to raise the profile of our sector and increase our influence amongst politicians and I, and everyone at the Chamber, is looking forward to working with the team from Ineos.