Member numbers sail to all-time high at Mersey Maritime

Mersey Maritime, the body representing the Liverpool City Region’s maritime sector, has reported record growth in 2016 after membership figures sailed past the 200 mark.

So far this year, 23 businesses have teamed up with the trade group either as sponsors, executive club or standard level members, bringing the organisation’s total membership to 203.

Chris Shirling-Rooke, the CEO of Mersey Maritime, is confident the group has developed a reputation as one of the most successful maritime cluster organisations in Europe, representing the interests of over 1,700 businesses in the marine, logistics and energy sectors.

Further, Chis has attributed some of the organisation’s success to the long-term support of a number of the region’s biggest industry players, including Peel Group, Cammell Laird and Bibby.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport, manufacturer RS Clare, engineering consultancy Royal HaskoningDHV, Bibby Financial Services and ship agent Denholm Wilhelmson are among the names to have signed up in 2016.

Chris commented: “Mersey Maritime has recorded its most successful year to date in terms of membership levels which have exceeded 200 for the first time.

“It’s been a landmark year with the launch of the Maritime Knowledge Hub, a joint venture between Mersey Maritime, Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and Wirral Council on behalf of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.”

He added: “We are looking to match the commitment shown by the local business community through this ambitious joint partnership.”

The Maritime Knowledge Hub, Chris said, is a state-of-the-art facility designed to help manufacturers design, test and build their products and services, with space and support for startups also available.

According to Mersey Maritime, the sector today accounts for 13% of Merseyside’s GDP and is worth over £3.4bn.

Jamie Gray, associate director of Royal HaskoningDHV, said his company had upgraded its Mersey Maritime membership to executive club level.

He commented: “Royal HaskoningDHV is a global engineering and project design consultancy with 6500 staff working in 150 companies, but we’ve been something of a sleeping giant in Liverpool.

“We decided to upgrade our membership this year because we want to be fully engaged in the cluster, with a place at the table. Moreover, we want to be positioned as a first choice company for new business opportunities within our areas of expertise.”

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