UK shipping can have a strong, confident and global future outside the European Union, the UK Chamber of Shipping claims.
The Chamber has published its 36-page Blueprint for Growth, according to which Brexit could offer significant opportunities so long as tariff and customs-free trade deals can be secured and internal reforms made by the government.
Guy Platten, chief executive of the Chamber, said: “Brexit poses many considerable challenges but I am not interested in doom-mongering.
“Whatever one may have thought about the referendum result, our country is perfectly capable of making Brexit work.”
The Chamber said it is in close contact with the Department for Exiting the European Union.
“I think there is a chance of a good deal,” Platten added.
“The UK has a huge trade deficit with the EU. They sell far more to us than we sell to them.
“There may be bluster and gossip and press releases, but I find it hard to imagine that huge artificial barriers to trade will return.”
However, Platten noted that ensuring a good deal with the EU is vital, but not the only thing that matters for the UK.
“We need an ambitious programme of reform to prepare ourselves both for the challenges and opportunities that are on the horizon,” he said.
