'Sailing for fun' UK doing serious business

by Richard Maino - London Press Service on 1 Jun 2008
The 'sailing for fun' industry in the United Kingdom is doing serious business, with leisure sailing and boat-making companies breaking through the annual sales mark of three billion pounds for the first time. It acknowledges that the maritime business has a worldwide reputation for innovation and top quality and design.

Exports are rising and employment numbers are growing, according to latest industry figures from business insiders and financial analysts. Buyers in the United States accounted for 12 per cent of UK exports; elsewhere it was 19 per cent. Europe remains the top market for UK builders of marine equipment, boats, yachts and superyachts (vessels over 24 metres [about 78 feet] long).

The encouraging figures show the important contribution that pleasure boating and associated industries make to 'UK plc'.
The latest survey from the British Marine Federation (BMF) stated: 'With growing employment figures, a strong and increasing contribution to the value of UK exports and solid expansion in turnover, the leisure marine industry continues to demonstrate its ability to innovate and succeed in the wider economic environment.'

The BMF report shows that the total turnover of the UK leisure and small commercial marine industry was almost three billion pounds, an increase of about 6.5 per cent from 2005-6. Export revenue is above one billion pounds, a rise of more than 12 per cent during the same period. About 4,300 businesses operate in the UK leisure and small commercial marine market, employing almost 35,700 staff - an increase of 1.9 per cent from 2005-6.

The report details the economic impact of the UK leisure marine industry, showing its value to regional economies. The south-east and south-west regions retain the largest market share but other parts of the country have experienced strong growth over the past financial year.

Rob Stevens, British Marine Federation chief executive, said:

'The release of our latest industry figures is a welcome boost for the industry - illustrating healthy overall growth in both turnover and the number of people employed. The leisure and small commercial marine sector is a diverse and growing part of the UK economy. Our boatbuilders and equipment manufacturers have a worldwide reputation for quality, good design and innovation.

'In the home market, boating tourism continues to play a key role, with good customer-service experience supporting significant numbers of domestic and overseas visitors. Despite the challenging economic climate, I am confident the marine industry can continue to navigate a successful course,' he added.

Details of industry revenue reveal that manufacturing has the largest overall share of the market, followed by service provision and distribution. This underlines again the positive contribution of leisure marine industries to the UK manufacturing base. The 2006/7 report shows that Eurozone countries continue to dominate the market for UK exporters. The strong reputation of quality, good design and innovation for UK products continues, with exports now taking up more than a third of the leisure marine sector.

The North American market accounted for 12 per cent of exports, with 19 per cent for the rest of the world. The sector is dominated by small and medium-size enterprises, with more than 70 per cent of the companies employing between one and five people. Some 70 companies each with more than 50 employees account for more than 40 per cent of the total industry revenue.

Recently, at the well-attended London Boat Show, premier yacht builder Sunseeker had the most expensive vessel on sale - an 11.5 million pounds superyacht, Sunseeker 37. It has three decks and four guest berths. It has a professional galley, room for 12 people to sit around a walnut dining table, two lounge areas and a huge sundeck.

'We are selling dreams,' said Sunseeker chief executive Robert Braithwaite. The company has sold 10 and any other buyers will have to wait until 2011. 'Our Far-East business is growing much faster than I anticipated - China, places like Vietnam, Dubai.' (more information: www.sunseeker.com )

More than 17,000 people work directly in boat, engine and equipment manufacturing and the British Marine Federation represents more than 75 per cent of the total UK marine turnover. Howard Pridding, of the British Marine Federation, said: 'We export a third of what we produce in the UK. We are a manufacturing success story. We are facing challenging times but certainly our boat builders are still selling boats.'


British Marine Federation, Marine House, Thorpe Lea Road, Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW20 8BF Tel: +44 1784 223615 Fax: +44 1784 439678

Web: www.britishmarine.co.uk