Nautilus warns as Cunard flags out of the UK

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31 Oct 2011

The maritime professionals’ union Nautilus International has urged the government to come up with a clear shipping policy – or run the risk of more companies joining Cunard Line in flagging out of the UK.

The union – which represents some 23,000 ship masters, officers and other shipping industry staff – has written to shipping minister Mike Penning expressing alarm at Cunard’s decision to switch its three ships from the UK Ship Register to the Bermuda flag.
“The loss of the Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth will not only have a significant impact in terms of tonnage lost from the UK flag, but has truly immense significance in terms of the iconic symbolism of these ships, the long history of Cunard and the economic contribution that they make as UK-registered vessels,” said general secretary Mark Dickinson.
“I believe that the loss of these prestigious ships brings the UK Ship Register – and our associated maritime policies – to something of a crossroads,” he added. “Not only does it mean the loss of more than 328,000gt of UK-registered tonnage, but it also raises genuine concerns that where Cunard is treading, others will follow.”
Nautilus is concerned that the UK is drifting on maritime policy, with no clear strategy for maintaining and expanding the red ensign fleet and ensuring that sufficient seafarers are trained.
Mr Dickinson said there is “an underlying malaise in the UK’s approach to what should be seen as a sector of critical importance – economically, environmentally and strategically”.
The uncertainty created by the lack of defined maritime policy objectives means that the UK is running the risk of losing its global lead in many key shipping activities, including classification, shipbroking, marine insurance and law, Nautilus says. In turn, this could jeopardise a sector which directly employs some 98,000 people and contributes more than £13bn a year to the national economy.
In his letter to the minister, Mr Dickinson argued that Cunard’s retreat from the UK register should be sending a very strong signal to the government. “The recent controversy over the future of the Coastguard, the withdrawal of the emergency towing vessels and the loss of the Marine Incident Response Group all raise additional grounds for believing that shipping is not regarded as a fundamental part of the nation’s transport infrastructure and that the somewhat pitiful fraction of the DfT budget that is spent on the maritime sector is an easy target for being squeezed even further,” he added.
“The UK cannot afford to squander the gains we have made on shipping and seafaring over the past decade, and I hope that the government will recognise the need for action to end the drift.”
Source: Nautilus International