Maritime UK, the umbrella body for the maritime sector, is today announcing the inaugural Commissioners to serve on the Maritime Skills Commission.

Government and industry, working through Maritime UK, has established the Maritime Skills Commission (MSC) to lead the sector’s work in ensuring the maritime sector has a pipeline of talented people to serve all parts of the sector covering shipping, ports, leisure marine, engineering, science and professional services.

The MSC is a core element of delivering the Department for Transport’s Maritime 2050 strategy and reports jointly to the Maritime Minister and to Maritime UK’s National Council.

Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice Chancellor at the University of Central Lancashire, was appointed Chair of the Commission in January.

It has been formed to:

1. Understand the skills needs of the sector, including the effects of technological change, and to make recommendations for action
2. Ensure that no part of the sector suffers from serious skills shortages or skills gaps
3. Ensure that the sector has the apprenticeships and qualifications it needs
4. Ensure the sector has the training provision it needs, (including the use of technology to engage learners and keep costs down)
5. Provide employers and individuals with clear information about career paths and re-training options
6. Ensure that employers have good quality recruits for their vacancies through effective promotion of maritime careers
7. Increase exports of maritime education and training.

The following Commissioners have been appointed to serve on the Commission:

• Graham Baldwin, Vice Chancellor, University of Central Lancashire (Chair)
• Lucy Armstrong, Chair, Port of Tyne
• Mark Dickinson, General Secretary, Nautilus International
• Kerry Hourihan, Head of Maritime Skills and Training, Department for Transport
• Guy Mason, SVP Global Head of Shipping, BP
• Brian Johnson, Chief Executive, Maritime and Coastguard Agency
• Monica Kohli, Senior Lawyer, FD&D, Gard (UK) 
• Douglas Lang, Group Managing Director, Anglo-Eastern (Offshore)
• Iain Mackinnon, Secretary, Maritime Skills Alliance
• Sam McBriar, Director Maritime Strategy and Marketing, Thales UK
• Colin McMurray, Director, Scottish Maritime Cluster
• Kathryn Neilson, Director, Merchant Navy Training Board
• Linton Roberts, Director Operations, Cammell Laird
• Alison Rumsey, Chief HR Officer, Associated British Ports
• Helen Sampson, Director, Seafarers International Research Centre, Cardiff University
• Nikki Sayer, Associate Director, Casper Shipping
• Alison Thompson, Head Learning and Development, Princess Yachts
• Karen Waltham, Karen Waltham Consulting

Maritime UK’s Diversity in Maritime Taskforce and Careers Taskforce will work closely with the Commission to ensure their work programmes reflect the latest labour market intelligence produced by the MSC.

The inaugural meeting of the Commission will be on Thursday 2 July 2020.

Graham Baldwin, Chair, Maritime Skills Commission said:

“I am delighted to Chair the Maritime Skills Commission and lead this group of highly skilled, diverse Commissioners to ensure the sector is equipped with a continuous pipeline of talented people and resources. Over the past few months, I have undertaken a robust mapping exercise to ensure the MSC has coverage across the five maritime sectors covered by Maritime UK.

I have also ensured it has the right balance of geographical coverage, seniority, diversity, knowledge of HR and current skills systems, as well as people who understand the impact of technical changes such as automation and digitisation.”

Kelly Tolhurst, Maritime Minister said:

“Our maritime sector thrives because of the well trained, highly skilled makeup of our workers. These commissioners will play a vital role in ensuring employees have the skills they need to keep the industry growing as we navigate our way out of Covid-19.”

Harry Theochari, Chair of Maritime UK said:

“The Commission was always a critical element of Maritime 2050, but now, following coronavirus, its role is even more pivotal, and urgent. It has pressing work to get on with to understand what impact the pandemic has had, and will have, on the labour market. I am delighted to welcome the new Commissioners to post and know that they want to get down to work straight away. The Commission is a true embodiment of the kind of partnership between industry and government that we need to enhance the UK’s position as a world-class maritime nation.”