Current update on the state of the British Merchant Navy

[robpage]

Nautilus International has warned the decision by Maersk to take its remaining vessels off the UK Ship Register, exit the UK Tonnage Tax and end the training of UK Cadets, will have a serious impact on seafarer jobs and the stability of the UK industry.

Europe’s largest shipping line is following in the footsteps of P&O, which last week announced it was reflagging all its short sea of its vessels to Cyprus due to Brexit uncertainty and the desire for its ships to be flagged in an EU member state.

Maersk has confirmed it will stop taking in Cadets from the UK, following a decrease in demand for Junior Officers, as it moves to a different manning structure and model.

Whilst all current cadets will have their training completed to allow them to gain their Certificate of Competence, the news adds to the pressure on the future for UK seafarers, already under threat as the nation moves closer to its exit from the EU – due on March 29.

Over a number of years, the UK’s shipping industry has suffered a huge drop in UK seafarers - from more than 66,000 in 1977 to just 23,000 today. Nautilus is warning that the continuing decline in the number of British seafarers and UK-flagged vessels is putting the nation’s economic security at risk and could leave it dependent on other countries for many essential goods and services.

[Ken Norton]

This comes after this pledge of September, 2017 by Shipping Minister John Hayes: He wanted to increase the amount of trade carried under the ‘Red Duster’ as the government is working to double the size of the UK Ship Register from 16 to 30 million gross tonnage
This is not to be taken in the wrong political context as it is purely meant to be about The British Merchant Navy, If not allowed I apologise and will delete. ken n.....
According to a statement:
“After we leave and build a new partnership with the EU – propelling the UK from 15th place into the top 10 global maritime nations. This will be good for the UK, helping boost trade and exports, create jobs and ultimately boost the economy across the UK.”
Maritime Minister John Hayes will use next week’s London International Shipping Week to start the drive for new business, selling the main benefits of flying the British flag including:
International tax breaks for vessels flying the Duster
British consular support for ships in foreign docks
The protection of the Royal Navy
Shipping Week is expected to feature ministers from up to 50 nations around the world and up to 15,000 high level shipping delegates.
Maritime Minister John Hayes said:
“In Britain’s post B....t future we will grow the Red Duster, forging new global relationships. Our ship register has a special significance and our flag is of distinct quality. Unfurling the Red Duster shows Britain’s maritime leadership to the world. Once again Britannia rules the waves and the UK will be a dominant maritime force.”

[Tony Taylor]

This comes after this pledge of September, 2017 by Shipping Minister John Hayes: He wanted to increase the amount of trade carried under the ‘Red Duster’ as the government is working to double the size of the UK Ship Register from 16 to 30 million gross tonnage
This is not to be taken in the wrong political context as it is purely meant to be about The British Merchant Navy, If not allowed I apologise and will delete. ken n.....


Once again Britannia rules the waves and the UK will be a dominant maritime force.”

Ken, he is a politician after all; they can say anything and then deny it at a later date, or - it was taken out of context.
Protection of Royal Navy? - whats left of it.

[Ken Norton]

Think that about sums it all Tony, empty promises we have seen them many times, unfortunately during our working lives. The R.N. is also severely under funded / manned, truly worrying for the fifth richest on the global list. Rule Brittania?

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Ken.
Don't worry to much, Australia will come to the rescue, we have a couple of gun boats and a few frigates plus a few old refugee boats.
Des

[Doc Vernon]

I would say just a bit more than that Des ! I know mate it was only in jest! Cheers

The Fleet | Royal Australian Navy

[happy daze john in oz]

Maybe our opposition leader here got his idea from the UK guy.
He too has said he will resurrect the Australian Merchant navy.
But the problem there is salaries and on costs.
Unless you use overseas crew who can be paid at a lower rate then you will never have a MN that is competitive.

Thought P&O would have registered all their ships in the Bahamas as most companies do now.

On a wilder thought, a program presenter yesterday suggested our gov get Phoney Blair out here to teach some spin lessons.
Any thoughts?

[vic mcclymont]

Politicians of all types have been short sited in their views on the MN..
Remember in the seventies on the news we used to get a monthly update on the UK trade figures. Nearly always in the red. Once shipping figure were included the trade figures generally showed a health balance.

Vic

[Ken Norton]

As usual big money involved: A spokesman for P&O said: “The change is being made to preserve the tonnage tax financing arrangements, under which the ships should remain flagged in an EU member state.”

Raising Cyprus’s ensign up the flagpole means that P&O freight ships pay tax based on the tonnage of their vessels rather than on profit.

Under European Union law, ships benefiting from the bloc’s regulations must display the flag of an EU nation. Patriotism and money are two seperate entities in peacetime

[happy daze john in oz]

Ken, I can see the point in that, money speaks bigger volumes than any thing else.
But what happens with ships of other nations trading with EU, are they treated on profit, cargo or what else?