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ISSA and Ship Supply News

WISTA-UK Liverpool Forum urges

I‘passionate promotion’ of industry

t is time to stand up and shout for seafarers, and for a more intense world’s best kept secrets. Our

about the enormous benefits that drive to recruit new talent – it is forecast companies operate ‘behind fences’ for
the shipping industry brings to the that by 2020 the UK will be 5,000 security and for health and safety

UK and to international trade, panelists seafarers short. reasons. Their contribution is not just

declared in the course of a debate at the The Liverpool session on 16th June unknown by young people, it is not
WISTA-UK (a national entity of the 2014 was a follow-up to the WISTA- acknowledged by their parents or

Women’s International Shipping & UK Grand Annual Debate in London teachers.
Trading Association) Liverpool Forum, the previous month, which voted clearly “Our industry used to be ‘people

a day-long event during the in favour of a motion lamenting that rich’. You would see people coming out
International Festival for Business on the shipping industry was ‘invisible’.
of dockyards, from ships and from

Merseyside.
An expert panel at the Liverpool manufacturing and they went back into
Speakers insisted that executives event was asked to determine the best the community and spread the word.

and supporters of the industry must way to ensure that the industry We do not have that now. ‘The docks’
inject more passion into their “becomes more visible.”
tends to be upper class and yuppie. We,

arguments for clearer recognition of the sector, are our own worst enemies. Ewen Macdonald, Director, Sea

the benefits of ocean transport, for We have a great story to tell, it is about Vision UK, was clear: “The necessary
fairer reporting of casualties and other time we got our backside into gear and commitment and passion has been
told it.”
maritime issues, for improved welfare
lacking,” he said. “We are one of the
I