Appointed in November 2023, Lord Davies is responsible for all maritime issues in the Department for Transport. 

Sarah and Graham took the opportunity to highlight to Lord Davies a number of important points during their meeting, including:

• The importance of a long term plan for decarbonising shipping to allow companies to plan investments with confidence. This should include tackling key issues such as shore power rollout and promoting the use of future fuels.
• Ensuring an exemption is put in place for lifeline ferry services from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to help maintain these vital links.
• The work being undertaken by the Merchant Navy Training Board, such as their Careers at Sea Ambassadors Programme, to encourage more people into the shipping industry.

Commenting on the meeting, Sarah said:

I was pleased to be able to meet Lord Davies so early into his tenure as Maritime Minister.

"As well as raising crucial points around certainty to aid decarbonisation of our sector and the importance of increasing awareness of the career opportunities it presents this was a chance to highlight to the minister the crucial role shipping plays in our everyday lives.

"Be it supporting the export of famous UK products, helping import key medicines or aiding the expansion of the offshore wind sector the importance of shipping to our economic prosperity and social wellbeing cannot be overstated. I’m looking forward to working with Lord Davies and his team on growing the value of shipping to the UK.