The chief executive of a firm representing hundreds of maritime businesses has said a no-deal Brexit would mean both disruption AND certainty.
Chris Shirling-Rooke, who heads up Mersey Maritime, says no matter what happens on October 31, the sector is prepared, and that more trust should be placed in local businesses.
The Liverpool City Region's maritime sector is worth £4bn, and Mr Shirling-Rooke has called for an end to "scaremongering" about the possibility of a no-deal.
He said members of Mersey Maritime have the “energy and dynamism” to help the UK prosper whether there is an agreement with the EU or not.
Mr Shirling-Rooke began by stressing Mersey Maritime adopts a "neutral" Brexit position, as it has done since the result of the 2016 referendum, but said he insists we must "stay positive" on the UK’s prospects.
Mr Shirling-Rooke said: “What is really important at this sensitive time is that we avoid a lot of scaremongering taking place and people playing into the pessimistic and fear-laden agenda that we’ve seen previously.
“The message from business, and indeed the hundreds of maritime sector businesses we as Mersey Maritime represent, is that we must, above all, have certainty one way or another.
“That may well be the UK leaving the European Union with a fresh agreement following further talks or no deal on October 31. Either way, we need to end the uncertainty and move forward.
“My view is relatively simple: our sector desperately wants to see a deal but if we don’t manage it we have complete faith in the energy, dynamism and expertise of our maritime industry to keep goods moving and to minimise any short term disruption there might be.”
Mr Shirling-Rooke's statement comes despite a no-deal Brexit meaning the UK reverting to World Trade Organisation rules, which could mean imported goods rise in price, and exports may be rejected by the EU. That's as well as fears over the Irish border, potential delays at the border over immigration, and manufacturers threatening to move operations to the EU.
On Wednesday, the director general of the CBI warned a no-deal could cost a single UK region £13bn .
Last week, BusinessLive rounded up what 23 of Britain's biggest business leaders want to happen with Brexit .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written to the President of the European Council outlining the Government’s commitment to securing a new deal with the European Union, but also made it clear Brexit will happen regardless on October 31.
Mr Shirling-Rooke added: “The direction of travel from the Government is clear: the UK will leave the European Union on October 31 with or without a deal.
“Britain is an island nation, so the shipping and maritime sectors are among the most important industries to the UK economy - 95% of all imports and exports are moved by the sea which means, even if they don’t realise it, every single person in the country, every single day, will touch, use and eat goods that have been brought to the UK by ship.
“But our industry is much more than just shipping, it covers our port operations, maritime business services, engineering and leisure marine too which accounts for around £40bn of our economy and a million jobs.
“Locally, here in the Liverpool city region, the maritime sector accounts for £4bn of our economy and employs more than 30,000 people. It is absolutely clear that getting Brexit right matters as a direct result of this.”
