Looking ahead to next week, I am excited to announce we are entering the second phase of the Chamber’s Strategic Plan, led by the Supervisory Board. We warmly invite all members to contribute through a series of online discussions. Please see the first story below for more details on how to get involved.

This past week, the Chamber has been busy working alongside our partners at the Department of International Trade about trade deals with India, Canada and Japan to name a few, as well as liaising with Peers and the Department of Transport about the Seafarers’ Wages Bill.

There have also been many events and news stories coming out of Maritime UK Week. Thank you to all our members who took part in the celebrations; it has been great to highlight some wonderful tales from our sector.

Finally, look out for the new, updated Chamber of Shipping Journal, which will be launched at our AGM next year. See below for more details and who to contact for advertising opportunities.

Strategic Plan Member Consultation

We are currently undertaking a full review of the Chamber’s Strategic Plan, led by the Supervisory Board. This process is designed to ensure that the Chamber is geared up to capitalise on the opportunities that present themselves in the years ahead and we are delivering on what our members want the Chamber to focus on.

The first stage of this review analysed key trends in our operating environment and confirmed the Chamber’s core purpose and values. We are now entering the second stage: generating ideas on how to deliver brilliantly against the purpose and capitalise on the strengths and opportunities identified in stage one. All members are warmly invited to contribute to this process, via a series of small group discussions to be held online.

Each workshop will have a maximum capacity of 12 participants to facilitate an open conversation. Places will be reserved on a first-come first-served basis – please email Shirley Rice who will register your attendance and share the dial-in details. Dates currently available are as follows, more will be made available in the case of additional demand.

• Wednesday 19th October 10:00 – 11:30
• Wednesday 19th October 14:00 – 15:30
• Tuesday 1st November 15:00 – 16:30
• Friday 4th November 11:00 – 12:30
• Friday 11th November 10:30 – 12:00
• Monday 14th November 12:00 – 13:30
• Wednesday 23rd November 15:00 – 16:30
   

As members, your views on our priorities are of critical importance. I very much look forward to your engagement in setting the strategic direction of the Chamber for the coming years.

International Trade Update

The Chamber continues to speak to the Department for International Trade about the Government’s plans to strike trade deals with a range of nations. Negotiations are ongoing with India, Canada, Japan, and UK accession to the Pacific CTPPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) is expected soon.

In advance of the UK’s International Trade Week (31 October to 4 November), being organised by the Department for International Trade, the Department for Transport is looking to promote shipping interests and improve maritime elements of trade deals.

Members are invited to contact the Chamber’s Commercial Director Gavin Simmonds identifying priority countries for trade deals, existing concerns on trade negotiations and details of any market access barriers being experienced. These will then be fed back to the Government.

Seafarers’ Wages Bill

Earlier this week, the Seafarers’ Wages Bill returned to Parliament for Committee Stage in the House of Lords. You can watch the debate here or read the transcript here.

Several amendments that the Chamber had worked with Peers on were debated. This included the interaction of the Bill with international agreements and seeking to change the scope of the Bill from covering services to ships so the scope of the Bill better reflects the intention of the legislation. Other amendments that sought to expand the scope of the Bill by reducing the number of calls from 120 per year to 50 or 52 were also debated. The Chamber briefed Peers in advance of the debate of the risks of expanding the scope of the Bill and the Government was clear that it was not considering an expansion of the scope.

No amendments were made to the Bill at this stage and it will return in a few weeks for further debate. The Chamber will continue to engage with Peers and the Department for Transport on the Bill seeking to ensure that the scope does not have the unintended consequence of making the UK a less attractive destination for shipping.
 

Maritime UK Week

This week has seen a celebration of all things maritime with Maritime UK Week. Chamber staff and our presidential team attended a range of meetings and events throughout the week, including the reception on Tuesday evening.

Thank you to all members who took part either in person or on social media. You will find a summary of the week’s activity on social media under the hashtags #MaritimeUKWeek and #MaritimeUK.

2023 Journal

Plans are well underway for the 2023 Journal, due out at our AGM next year. The Journal provides a comprehensive insight into the activities of the Chamber and its members and is distributed to members and the wider UK shipping industry.

We have commissioned the specialist maritime publisher Compass Handbooks Ltd, who have over 20 years’ experience in the industry, to publish the new edition and manage this publication.

Advertising opportunities are available and anyone who is interested should contact Compass. Chamber members benefit from discounted advertising rates.
 

Yara Marine Technologies agree to sponsor the Autumn Lunch

We are delighted to announce that Yara Marine Technologies has joined V.Group in sponsoring our first ever Autumn Lunch, taking place on Wednesday 2nd November at the Harbour Hotel in Southampton. We would like to thank them for this very kind support.

More than 80 guests have already booked tickets for this event and we are now close to capacity. However, if you are still interested in attending, then please purchase your tickets before 5pm today.

A world first

A ‘Homecoming Event’ was held in Edinburgh last week for Witherbys CEO Captain Iain Macneil and his crew. Earlier this year, they completed a world first circumnavigation via all of the capes in the Southern Hemisphere on a motorboat less than 24 m in length.

Their circumnavigation began in Lanzarote (Canary Islands) and covered a distance of 31,538 miles, returning to Lanzarote (after 150 days at sea) on 16th May 2022.
Before a dinner themed around the meals the crew enjoyed on their 150-day voyage, a mini movie of the story of the trip was shown. This can be viewed on YouTube here.

Congratulations to Iain and his crew. You can read the full story here.

Latest member updates

Chamber members are reminded that they have exclusive access to a range of updates from the Chamber’s policy experts on a wide spectrum of issues. Latest updates this week include:

• 13 October 2022 | Harbour Towage Panel | Agenda, Minutes & Annexes
• Independent Review into the Potential for Delays in the Contracting and Engagement of Salvage Services in Marine Casualties
• ICS Engagement with RightShip - Meeting Report
   

Upcoming events

Lithium-Ion Battery event: The UK Chamber of Shipping is delighted to partner with our member Waves Group on this ‘Lithium-Ion Battery Carriage: Fire Risks & Containment Measures’ webinar on 31 October.

While lithium-Ion batteries use increases as the world seeks to decarbonise, they are also causing safety concerns during transportation on ships. This webinar will look at the risks and hazards of transporting these batteries both inside containers and onboard Ro-Ro vessels.

The webinar will also be looking at the firefighting techniques and containment measures used to control such fires. To register, please click here.

Autumn Lunch: The UK Chamber of Shipping will be hosting an Autumn Lunch in Southampton on Wednesday 2nd November at the Southampton Harbour Hotel & Spa. Kindly sponsored by V.Group, this event will provide members and non-members a chance to have a Q&A with President Graham Westgarth, and a platform to meet and network with industry peers in celebration of UK Shipping.

• 11.00 am - 11.45 am: Q&A with the Chamber President
• 11.45am - 12.15pm: Drinks Reception
• 12.15pm - 3pm: Lunch

Please book tickets via our website.

British Tugowners Association (BTA) Annual Safety Seminar: The BTA will be holding its Annual Safety Seminar on 10 November in Edinburgh, at the premises of the Northern Lighthouse Board. We are pleased to announce that the theme of the event is recovery of persons from the water and that the Maritime Skills Academy have kindly agreed to be silver sponsors of the event. Click here to read more and secure your place.

Mersey Maritime Industry Awards 2022: The theme for the Mersey Maritime Industry Awards 2022 is ‘Our Time Is Now’, which will have a particular focus on Mersey Maritime’s 20-year anniversary, and look forward to the bright future of the sector.

Now in their eighth year, the awards will take place in the iconic and prestigious Liverpool Cathedral on Thursday 10 November 2022. Further details can be viewed here.

Free tickets for Chamber members – Seatrade Maritime Salvage & Wreck Conference: Save the date – with the tagline “Supporting A Sustainable Future” this conference (30 November - 1 December), is being held at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel, Tower of London.

Free tickets for UK Chamber of Shipping ship owners/managers/members. For more information please contact karen.attia@informa.com.

Have a lovely weekend,
Sarah