Delegates from MaritimeUK, including Solent Maritime Sector Lead, Kevin George, were aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth yesterday as it was anchored near New York to launch the Maritime Nations Forum with U.S. counterparts.
The visit is part of a Department for International Trade mission to promote transatlantic trade. The delegation of UK maritime businesses joined others at a reception with the Secretary of State for International Trade, The Rt Hon Liam Fox MP.
Kevin George, Red Funnel Chairman and Solent LEP Maritime Sector Lead said:
“We’re here in New York celebrating the Solent’s pioneering maritime spirit and to highlight the region’s unrivalled track record in maritime research and innovation. The Port of Southampton is the UK’s biggest port, handling $52 billion of British manufactured goods each year, while Portsmouth is the centre of a world-class maritime defence cluster that provides 20,000 jobs and contributes more than $2 billion a year to the regional economy. And, of course, the city is also the home port of HMS Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s flagship aircraft carrier.”
The carrier’s arrival coincided with a visit of another British and Solent icon; the RMS Queen Mary 2. Both ships symbolise the commercial and security links to be found between the UK and the USA and Britain's world-class maritime capability - from engineering and training to professional services.
The United States is the UK's largest single nation trading partner. The delegation's mission is to explore opportunities to strengthen transatlantic trade and investment with the USA, and the UK maritime sector is the fundamental enabler of Britain's global trade. The sector adds approximately $49 billion to UK GDP and supports just under 1,000,000 jobs.
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