Mersey Maritime, the voice of Liverpool city region’s £5bn maritime sector, is looking for a new home after departing its Birkenhead office. Tony McDonough reports

Mersey Maritime is looking for a new home after taking the decision to leave the Birkenhead building it has occupied for a number of years.

Last Friday, the Mersey Maritime team left the Vanguard Way premises, close to the Birkenhead waterfront, for the final time. Chief executive Ruth Wood says they will take their time to choose the right location for their new headquarters.

Liverpool city region’s maritime sector is worth more than £5bn a year. It encompasses more than 30 sub-sectors, from shipping to digital tech to professional services, and supports almost 50,000 jobs.

Since taking the helm as chief executive  in summer 2023, Ruth has embarked on a root and branch review of the industry cluster body to see how they can best serve their members, in a rapidly changing industry.

She said: “There are several factors that have resulted in the move, but most importantly, our strong commitment to the ongoing sustainability of Mersey Maritime and the value we bring to our members and community has been at the forefront of our decision.

“Over the past two decades Mersey Maritime has constantly evolved. Our £5bn Liverpool city region maritime sector is in the midst of momentous change as it embraces decarbonisation, upskilling, development of and investment in new technology and a more diverse workforce.

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“We are excited for the future and other than a change of venue for events, there will be no impact to our services – we are still very much here to support our members and the wider industry.

“Along with the support of the board, we are taking our time to decide where we move to next, to ensure that it is right for the business and the needs of our membership across the region.”

All Mersey Maritime post will be redirected to Mersey Maritime, PO Box 387, Birkenhead, CH25 9GA, but other contact details remain the same.