Maritime UK Solent partners with Canadian maritime cluster

Maritime UK Solent has joined forces with Canada’s Ocean Technology Council of Nova Scotia (OTCNS) to support economic growth on the international stage.

This week the two clusters inked an agreement setting out their joint intention to strengthen investment and share future maritime business opportunities, ensuring each region’s maritime businesses are better connected.

Anne-Marie Mountifield, chair of MUK Solent, said: “This exciting collaboration with Nova Scotia will allow us to explore more opportunities for our maritime clusters to work together and prosper.

“The joint signing of this memorandum of understanding marks a new era in international cooperation for us, which will undoubtedly highlight the Solent’s maritime strengths and innovation on a global scale.

“We welcome this new development and look forward to our regular participation with OTCNS moving forward.”

The OTCNS represents organisations across the Canadian maritime state of Nova Scotia, spanning sectors like defence, marine renewable energy, offshore oil and gas, and ocean observation technologies.

Chris Bourque, executive director at OTCNS, said: “We’re looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with Maritime UK Solent and expanding international business relationships.”

The collaboration comes as part of a sister city international economic partnership between Halifax, Canada and Portsmouth, UK, formalised in January 2023 to expand on both cities’ work to develop ocean sector opportunities.

It also follows a well-attended online event on 4th March which saw maritime businesses from across the Solent meet with their counterparts in Halifax.

Attendees heard from Halifax mayor Mike Savage and Portsmouth City Council leader Councillor Steve Pitt, as well as from eight organisations working in marine security – Red Penguin Marine, SubSea Craft, Griffon Hoverwork and Sirius Analysis, all from the Solent; and Deep Vision, Spiri Robotics, JASCO Applied Sciences and eOceans from Halifax.

Cllr Pitt added: “I’m delighted that the relationship that Portsmouth has developed with our sister city Halifax in Nova Scotia is growing into a significant economic partnership – not only between our two cities but across our region.

“This partnership holds real opportunities for the economies of both our great cities.”

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