The UK's leading maritime industry leaders gathered in Edinburgh last week for the annual conference of the Society of Maritime Industries, the UK's main industry trade body.
Shipbuilders and senior Ministry of Defence and Royal Navy personnel were among over 200 delegates coming together at the city's George Hotel to debate industry issues ranging from the attraction and development of a skilled workforce to the availability of ship repair facilities across the UK.
The conference, which took place on 11 and 12 February, follows hard on the heels of Scottish Enterprise's launch last month of a three-year campaign to boost the number of new recruits joining the shipbuilding and engineering industry in Scotland.
The economic development organisation is working closely with industry to attract more than 1000 people to work on the £3.9bn Royal Navy Future Aircraft Carrier project which will see Scottish engineers construct the largest ships to ever enter service with the Royal Navy.
Ian McMahon, head of Aerospace, Defence and Marine at Scottish Enterprise - the lead sponsor of the conference - said: "The fact the UK's leading maritime industry experts are gathering in Edinburgh gives us a great chance to showcase Scotland's strengths in this sector to a wider audience.
"According to official government statistics, the UK shipbuilding industry in 2006 employed 23,500 people, 23 per cent (5400) of which are employed in Scotland. Over ninety per cent of the world's trade is carried by sea and Scotland supplies over half of all UK Merchant Navy officer cadets. Scotland is clearly punching above its weight.
"The renaissance of the maritime industry is continuing apace in Scotland. Work on the £3.9bn Royal Navy Future Aircraft Carrier project is underway and more ship orders are in the pipeline. It is an exciting time for this sector."
Peter French, chairman of the Society of Maritime Industries Board, said: "Sustaining the UK maritime industries at home and abroad is of significant importance. Scotland has a rich maritime history and is poised for a bright future. This event aims to inform and promote debate on the future of this vibrant industry."
The conference included visits to Babcock Marine's facility at Rosyth, which will be where the new aircraft carriers will be finally assembled and to Rolls-Royce Marine at Dalgety Bay, which has won major contracts for the steering gear and stabilisers for the future carrier. The conference also included a gala dinner on the former Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith.
ENDS
16 February 2009
Notes to editors
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's main enterprise, innovation and investment agency. Working in partnership with industry, academia and the public sector, SE aims to help make Scotland a place where business can thrive and key industries can be competitive. Its focus is to help businesses grow, encourage greater innovation and create the right conditions for companies to access property, markets and finance to increase productivity and increase Scotland's ability to compete internationally.
The Society of the Maritime Industries
The Society of Maritime Industries is the voice of the UK's maritime business sector promoting and supporting companies which build, refit and modernise ships, and supply equipment and services for all types of commercial and naval platforms, ports and terminals infrastructure and maritime security, offshore oil and gas, and marine science and technology.
Future Aircraft Carrier project
The £3.9bn Royal Navy Future Aircraft Carrier project(CVF) announced in July 2008 is to build two new aircraft carriers, which will be the largest ships to ever enter service with the Royal Navy; the HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.