Posted on: 28 November 2016
The UK Chamber of Shipping has launched its Blueprint for Growth on Monday 28th November, a manifesto of ideas it believes necessary for the UK’s post-Brexit future.
UK Chamber of Shipping CEO, Guy Platten said: “Brexit poses many considerable challenges but I’m not interested in doom mongering. Whatever one may have thought about the referendum result, our country is perfectly capable of making Brexit work. If we get this right, then the UK can have a strong, confident and global future outside the EU.
On the UK as a place to do business he commented: “The UK is not starting from scratch – we were a great maritime nation before we joined the EU, a great maritime nation within the EU and we will be a great maritime nation once the UK leaves.
“Our skills have not evaporated. The size of our market, our time zone, our use of common law and the English language haven’t disappeared. Our military will be no less strong, our contribution to global diplomacy no less important.
“And I believe that potentially leaving the European Union, for all its challenges could provide the UK with a new sense of purpose and focus. And we have already seen that government is listening to business and industry like never before.
On the Customs Union Platten warned: “Shipping moves 95% of the UK’s international trade. Whilst we are optimistic about Government’s plans to boost trade with the rest of the world, we must recognise that £120bn of UK-EU trade moved through Dover alone last year, partly due to the removal of customs checks and artificial trade barriers at ports. If these barriers were reintroduced, there is little doubt trade flows would diminish. It is imperative British negotiators treat the maintenance of unimpeded trade through ports as non negotiable.
He believes that there is a chance of a good deal saying “the UK has a huge trade deficit with the EU.”
The full copy of the report can be downloaded here.
