Steel Benders UK part of new Tees Maritime Cluster
STEEL Benders UK (SBUK) is proud to be a founding member of a new regional partnership that is looking to grow Teesside’s maritime sector.
The Tees Maritime Cluster, a private sector-led initiative, supported by industry body, Maritime UK, has been officially confirmed by the Department for Transport and is dedicated to accelerating economic growth in Teesside.
The partnership aims to use collaborative strength and vision of the region’s maritime sector to boost efforts to become a leading hub for the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.
Tania Cooper, SBUK’s Managing Director, said: “The launch of the Tees Maritime Cluster is a transformative step for the Tees Valley, driving maritime skills, business growth and investment.
“With £234,000 in funding and Steel Benders UK as a proud Founder Member, we’re excited to strengthen our region’s maritime ecosystem and showcase its potential on a global stage. This milestone reflects the hard work and collaboration of our incredible stakeholders.”
The Tees Maritime Cluster will be run by an independent board and will, after initial start-up funding from the Government, become self-financing through the development and delivery of a commercial strategy.
The initial Project Delivery Group to lobby for the cluster’s creation was facilitated by PD Ports, as the River Tees Statutory Harbour Authority, with support from SBUK, AV Dawson Limited (Port of Middlesbrough), the Tees and Hartlepool Port Users Association (THPUA), Elite Consult, Womble Bond Dickinson LLP, Clive Owen LLP, along with a number of other key regional stakeholders.
Announcement
The announcement of the Tees Maritime Cluster is a further development in the ambitious Regional Cluster Development Programme, led by industry body Maritime UK, as it looks to achieve priorities set out in its long-term strategy, Maritime 2050: Navigating the Future.
Teesside is home to the UK’s sixth largest port and England’s largest export port by tonnage, the UK’s largest freeport and a range of industries and major renewable energy projects that depend on the maritime sector.
The Tees Maritime Cluster will have a focus on training and skills, aiming to create a diverse and highly skilled workforce that will help the region deliver its economic potential, enable the energy transition and support social development in an area where 18.5 per cent of the population is classed as living in a deprived area, compared to 4 per cent nationally.
Collaboration
The cluster will help to encourage collaboration and develop international links to support business growth whilst providing a direct link to Government, supported by Maritime UK.
It is anticipated that further organisations will join the Project Delivery Group once the cluster is established, broadening its reach across the sector. The cluster is further supported by organisations representing around 4,000 businesses: Tees & Hartlepool Port Users Association, the North-East of England Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) and North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC).
Reaction on Teesside
Liz Law, PD Ports’ chief financial officer, who is one of the first to be named to the Tees Maritime Cluster board, said: “Teesside has endless potential, with the River Tees at the heart of its ambitions.
“There are so many businesses, organisations and individuals doing great things across the region, and the Tees Maritime Cluster will offer a framework for us all to work together, pulling in the same direction towards shared objectives; future proofing the industry, creating jobs, enhancing productivity, boosting international trade and securing inward investment.”
Chris Shirling-Rooke, Chief Executive, Maritime UK, said: “I am personally delighted that the Tees Maritime Cluster has been awarded this incredibly impactful funding. We have been working with the team there for years and to see everybody’s efforts rewarded with support from the Department for Transport is testament to all of their hard work and collaboration.”
Maritime Minister Mike Kane said: “The UK is a proud maritime nation, with our coastal communities being vital in unleashing our full potential and unlocking economic growth across the country.
“By investing in our excellent maritime clusters, like Tees, we can deliver jobs, skills and training for local communities and turbocharge growth by delivering investment into the sector.”
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*To read the goverment statement click here