Industry cluster organisation Mersey Maritime to meet councillors from Liverpool city region and beyond to offer a briefing on the importance of the £5bn local maritime sector. Tony McDonough reports

Mersey Maritime will offer a maritime industry briefing this week to local councillors from across Liverpool City Region and other areas at an invite-only event this month.

Chief executive of Mersey Maritime, Ruth Wood, is looking to raise the profile of the sector which is worth more than £5bn a year to the city region economy and supports almost 50,000 jobs.

Despite its size, the local maritime sector doesn’t always have the same visibility as other sectors of equivalent scale such as tourism. People think of the ships on the river, but maritime is so much more.

It comprises around 33 sub-sectors. And while ports and shipping are a major component of that, those sub-sectors also include logistics, digital tech, legal and financial services, engineering, energy and offshore wind.

Mersey Maritime is actively collaborating with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority to collectively amplify the voice for the maritime sector.

By joining forces, both entities aim to enhance awareness of the significance of the maritime industry in driving economic growth and sustainability within the region.

On Tuesday, March 19, the Mersey Maritime team will offer an insight into the not-for-profit organisation, and an overview of the latest developments in the local maritime sector.

Other leading maritime businesses in the region, such as Cammell Laird and Bibby Marine, will also present their current work priorities.

This event, taking place at Birkenhead Town Hall, will have a particular emphasis on decarbonisation and the critical role maritime is playing in the UK’s push towards a net zero economy.

As well as councillors from the six city region boroughs – Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton and St Helens – there will also be representatives from councils connected to the local maritime sector such as those along the Manchester Ship Canal.

Ruth Wood said: “A key part of our work is about showcasing the importance of the maritime sector. It is critical, we don’t just talk about maritime in terms of our past within the region. 

“We need to emphasise its significance today and more importantly its strategic role in the growth of the region’s economy in the future.

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“With decarbonisation at the fore, we need to be closely aligned with local policy to ensure we are working in partnership to meet our net zero targets. 

“This also goes hand-in-hand with promoting the careers and future skills needed for the sector, ensuring that we are providing opportunities for local talent and young people ”.

“It creates a lot of opportunities in terms of jobs and income for the city region so we need to make sure we put it front and centre, particularly on issues such as decarbonisation.