Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his maritime policies of the figures published by Lloyds List Intelligence in June 2019 which showed that the UK Ship Register lost a third of its tonnage in the past 12 months.

In June 2019, the UK Flag attracted over 60,000 Gross Tonnes (GT) to the UK Ship Register.

The Government also launched its Maritime 2050 strategy that sets a clear and ambitious vision for the industry over the next three decades.

A maritime policy decision was made to expand owner eligibility and bareboat charter out services from March 2019 which allows more quality companies to join the UK Flag, ones that would not require an EU Flag post Brexit. This change increases the likelihood of growing the UK Ship Register.