Discussions focused on the Chamber’s core priorities: supporting growth and investment, strengthening national resilience, and improving business clarity and certainty. The Minister outlined his intention to publish a Maritime Growth Strategy later this year, while acknowledging the need for more effective coordination across government. While confirming that no primary maritime legislation is expected in the forthcoming King’s Speech, he was receptive to identifying practical policy and regulatory measures capable of delivering near‑term impact. The Chamber positioned shipping firmly as a growth and investment story, emphasising competitiveness, skills, net zero delivery and resilience as shared objectives, and reiterating its offer of partnership on international coordination, seafarer welfare and the restoration of safe navigation in the Middle East — themes that were reflected in the MCA’s UK Flag Forum later in the week (read our event report for more information).

In addition to ministerial discussions, the Chamber has continued to engage with officials across the Department for Transport, including the new Director General for Maritime, and the Secretary of State for Transport’s Special Adviser responsible for maritime and international policy. These engagements provided further opportunities to explore industry priorities and pathways for more structured collaboration and information sharing, both on immediate challenges and longer‑term issues such as growth and competitiveness and we will continue to engage with the Minister and his team to reflect the needs and priorities of the sector across the policy landscape. 

Elsewhere engagement with parliamentarians and parties has not slowed over the Easter recess. A recent meeting with Reform UK’s external affairs and media leads provided an opportunity to outline the structure of the UK shipping sector, current policy challenges, and issues such as skills, infrastructure constraints, the North Sea and economic growth, particularly in the context of forthcoming elections.

Across these engagements, our message has been consistent: the UK has real strengths as a stable, credible, high‑standard maritime jurisdiction, but delivering growth will depend on policy stability, predictability and effective partnership between government and industry. The Chamber has been clear in offering support, from co‑convening strategic forums and supporting ministerial visits, to providing platforms for policy moments. Throughout, the emphasis has been on open, mature engagement and practical delivery.

As geopolitical risks intensify and competition for maritime investment sharpens, the Chamber’s engagement agenda reflects a clear objective: to ensure that shipping is understood, valued and embedded at the centre of government decision‑making, and that policy ambition is matched by coordination and execution.

For more information on our work with the UK Government, please contact Stef Kenyon.