Locally, the maritime sector supports around 20,000 full-time jobs, with Southampton and Portsmouth being key hubs. Our ports play a crucial role in British commercial interests and make the Solent the UK’s Global Gateway. The Port of Southampton is the UK’s biggest export port, with over £40 billion of UK manufactured goods exported from Southampton each year. 90% of this is to destinations outside the EU. The region plays a crucial role in tourism, leisure, exports, and the supply chain for industries like the automotive sector and many more. Southampton is widely recognised as the cruise capital of Europe. The Port of Southampton hosts a wide variety of cruise lines, including P&O Cruises, Cunard, Royal Caribbean, MSC and Princess Cruises, and welcomes more than two million passengers to the city each year.Nationally, the maritime sector is defined as covering shipping, ports, marine leisure, engineering, and related services. This is a vibrant and dynamic sector that contributes greatly to the UK’s national economy, supporting communities across the country.
In the Solent Region
You can find out more about how we work with the maritime sector by reading the report below.
Download the report
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