Scottish Maritime Education and Training Project: The MSA, working in conjunction with Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, has been successful in obtaining a grant from the Scottish Funding Council to research current maritime education and training provision in Scotland ... more >
Royal Navy: The MSA is pleased to welcome into membership the Royal Navy with effect from 1st May 2008 ... more >
NOS for Non-pleasure vessels in inland waterways and coastal operations ... more >
Maritime Apprenticeship Frameworks is currently ... more >
A Labour Market Assessment (LMA) for Marine Leisure ... more >
Mapping engineering related Maritime Occupations against existing engineering NOS ... more >
The need for NOS relating to specialist maritime shore based occupations ... more >
NOS for Maritime Hospitality Management Occupations ... more >
Future relationships with the Skills for Business (SfB) Network ... more >
MSA testing and trialling the New Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) ... more >
What is it?
The maritime sector is a key contributor to the UK economy . The global shipping, maritime leisure and ports industries are of truly world-scale significance - and the UK is a major player in the supply of capital, hardware and skilled employees into both UK and overseas companies operating in this sector. Measured in terms of the balance of payments contribution to the UK alone, the sector's benefit exceeds that of aerospace.
Some key statistics:
A turnover exceeding £8.6bn
Adds value to the UK economy by handling 95% of UK trade by weight
and 90 % by value
Undertakes 51 million passenger journeys annually
Employs 125,500 people in 6,700 enterprises
What does it do?
It includes industries where the principal business activities cover the control management and operation of harbours, ports and vessels associated with:
Transport by sea, river and non tidal waters of passengers,
freight and petrochemicals in bulk;
Leisure cruising;
Loading and unloading cargo and passengers from ships;
Catching fish and shellfish;
Commercial marine leisure activities;
Supporting offshore exploration and production,
surveying and other sub-sea activities;
Water based search and rescue activities .
The extensive range of jobs and career opportunities that are available within the maritime sector can be found on the career pathways page