Marine

South West England is an ideal location for marine businesses with its strong tradition of maritime activity and a well established core of healthy and diverse companies across all the major sectors from commercial and leisure to defence and marine science. 
 
Spread out over 700 miles of glorious coastline, the region offers opportunities to virtually every type of marine company with its superb natural harbours and waterside facilities that are a magnet to anyone involved with the sea. 
 
Marine businesses in the South West already employ over 32,000 people in 2,700 companies generating a turnover of over £1.3 billion per year, so it is a key sector for the region and has the support of the South West RDA who may offer grants to both new and existing businesses in specific locations on a case by case basis. 
 
The region is the major UK centre for production of all types of leisure craft and equipment, and is the home to several prestige builders of luxury yachts and high performance power craft. It also features a number of world class marinas at major centres such as Poole, Plymouth and Falmouth. 
 
On the commercial side the region boasts a number of shipyards that specialise in repairs and refitting of small to medium sized ships as well as Devonport Royal Dockyard at Plymouth which is the largest naval base in Europe and generates of lot of direct and indirect business activity. 
 
Plymouth has established itself as a major research centre for marine science at internationally recognised centres of excellence such as the University of Plymouth, Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), the Marine Biological Association of the UK (MBA), the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, and the National Marine Aquarium.

Higher Education Expertise

South West England universities offer excellence in mechanical and electrical/electronic engineering courses and research at Bath, Bristol, Plymouth and West of England Universities. 
 
The University of Exeter has particular expertise in materials research with highly developed links into the business community. 
 
The University of Plymouth's main areas of expertise include oceanography, marine biology, coastal protection and logistics. 
 
The University of Bath (Department of Physics) has a strong international expertise in the design of new sonar instruments, seabed mapping, and the analyses of marine risks such as buried waste and geological hazards. 
 
Bournemouth University has expertise in marine ecology, marine conservation, coastal management and marine archaeology.

For further information please download the full South West Marine brochure: Strength and Depth in Marine Technology (Adobe Acrobat Reader Document - 339.99kb) 
 
The region has a dedicated Marine support organisation in the form of Marine South West.

Marine South West

Marine South West was created and funded by the SWRDA who is contributing £4M over a three year period towards the Marine sector in the Region.  
 
Marine South West is currently working on a programme which will create three marine training centres of excellence and provide support in Business Improvement, increasing the export skills and potential of marine businesses and raising awareness amongst schools leavers of the marine sector as an employment choice. 
www.marine-south-west.org.uk