UK ports welcome promise on 'market-led' approach
Port authorities in the UK have praised an announcement by the UK government that it will take a 'market-led' approach on ports policy.
UK's shipping minister Jim Fitzpatrick has confirmed that the government intends to maintain its “light touch approach” to maritime regulation.
Fitzpatrick was speaking in his presentation of an interim policy report to the UK Parliament on Thursday.
There had been worries that the government might adopt a centralised, national ports strategy at the expense of market initiatives.
According to Fitzpatrick, it was the government's responsibility to create conditions in which investment was encouraged and sustainability ensured.
“The Interim Report recognizes that commercial ports are best placed to make decisions about where and when to invest in the port sector, and we do not propose any substantive change to the regulatory and operating framework for ports,” said Fitzpatrick.
The key recommendation in the report was a clear commitment to avoiding a detailed policy on how and where the government wishes to see ports develop in the region.
“We are pleased that the government will be maintaining the existing market-led policy framework for ports,” said the chairman of the UK Major Ports Group Richard Everitt.
“Decisions on port investment must continue to be taken by ports themselves in response to commercial demand and should not be driven by other factors,” Everitt added.
While welcoming the government's stance, director of the British Ports Association David Whitehead said that a number of controversial policy items were still under consideration.
UK's shipping minister Jim Fitzpatrick has confirmed that the government intends to maintain its “light touch approach” to maritime regulation.
Fitzpatrick was speaking in his presentation of an interim policy report to the UK Parliament on Thursday.
There had been worries that the government might adopt a centralised, national ports strategy at the expense of market initiatives.
According to Fitzpatrick, it was the government's responsibility to create conditions in which investment was encouraged and sustainability ensured.
“The Interim Report recognizes that commercial ports are best placed to make decisions about where and when to invest in the port sector, and we do not propose any substantive change to the regulatory and operating framework for ports,” said Fitzpatrick.
The key recommendation in the report was a clear commitment to avoiding a detailed policy on how and where the government wishes to see ports develop in the region.
“We are pleased that the government will be maintaining the existing market-led policy framework for ports,” said the chairman of the UK Major Ports Group Richard Everitt.
“Decisions on port investment must continue to be taken by ports themselves in response to commercial demand and should not be driven by other factors,” Everitt added.
While welcoming the government's stance, director of the British Ports Association David Whitehead said that a number of controversial policy items were still under consideration.