“This is a welcome development and, by being more inclusive in terms of the number of freeports there might be, the government can now explore how to better deliver on its levelling up agenda without picking regions over each other. Coastal communities are often in areas of high deprivation and have also experienced challenges resulting from the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown so this potentially transformative policy will be welcomed across a range of suitable locations.”

“For the global shipping industry, 2020 is a year that will be long remembered. As remarked in this year’s Annual Review, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to significant disruptions to the industry’s way of working. ICS continues to be at the forefront of addressing the ongoing crew change crisis, making every effort to persuade governments to facilitate the repatriation of 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.”