Regional Clusters

The UK's regional clusters provide an unparalleled level of expertise, innovation, ambition and ease of doing business. Companies based in and around these clusters can benefit from:

  • Maritime Professional Business Services sector in the City of London
  • access to some of the most important UK ports and shipyards (Southampton and Liverpool)
  • the Scottish Maritime Cluster, Europe’s largest ship management cluster

Then there is the cluster of organisations, often with UK-based leaders, located around the International Maritime Organization’s London headquarters, and the educational and energy services clusters in several cities across the country.

Regional clusters are available throughout the UK and cater to a wide range of needs.

Cornwall Marine Network     
The Cornwall Marine Network is home to a strong marine leisure sector. It offers, excellent repairs and boat building capabilities (from traditional to luxury yachts), and an established research and development culture supporting innovation and renewable energies.

Maritime UK Solent   
Maritime UK Solent offers World-leading capabilities across maritime including in:

  • Defence, leisure marine and cruises
  • Research and Development (R&D)
  • Professional services
  • Digital maritime
  • Low and zero carbon technologies
  • Marine autonomy

The cluster includes the ports of Southampton (the UK’s biggest export port and biggest cruise turnaround in Europe) and Portsmouth  (home to almost two thirds of the Royal Navy’s ships).

Mersey Maritime   
Mersey Maritime has a growing commercial market in:

  • Specialist and research ships
  • Ro-pax
  • Explorer and boutique cruise ships
  • Naval
  • Clean and high-tech ships
  • Professional services

It’s also a top five UK container port and a leading transatlantic port, handling 45% of trade with North America. It also benefits from being a major Irish Sea shipping hub with ro-ro ferry services. 

Humber Marine Renewables   
The port of Hull, run by Associated British Ports (ABP), is one of the largest ports in the country. It’s perfectly placed to capitalise on the UK’s offshore wind industry, primarily in the North Sea. Green Port Hull’s vision is to create a world-class centre for renewable energy and associated industries, including maritime.

North East Port of Tyne   
The North East Port of Tyne comprises three ports offering opportunities across maritime sector including those related to deep water river frontage, offshore renewables, subsea industry, dry docks, shipbuilding. The North East’s strong digital sector provides opportunities in marine navigation and digital marine.

The Scottish Maritime Cluster

The Scottish Maritime Cluster is Europe’s largest ship management cluster. It offers world-class naval ship design, building and support; offshore energy operations support; the UK’s second largest cluster of maritime businesses and a full range of professional support services.  There are also opportunities in offshore wind, aquaculture, seaweed and bioprocessing industries.  It has growing naval, ferry and specialist shipbuilding sectors, meeting international demand. Ports and associated industries are expanding through Green Ports initiative and there are engineering, university spinouts and the potential for international shipping services.