Maritime and Coastguard Agency appoint new Director of the UK Ship Register
New Director of the UK Ship Register Doug Barrow |
The Maritime
& Coastguard Agency has appointed a new Director of the UK Ship Register
(UKSR). Doug Barrow, currently chief executive of Maritime London – where he
has been promoting the UK as a centre of maritime excellence for business –
says he is honoured to be taking on the role and looking forward to leading the
team.
The new
appointment will be announced formally at a Maritime Growth Reception at the
House of Commons on Monday 16 January, which will be hosted by the Rt.
Hon. John Hayes CBE MP, Minister of State for Transport together with Maritime
UK.
The appointment
is part of a wider commitment to generate growth in the maritime sector,
encourage greater investment in the UK and promote the UK flag as a world-class
register that attracts quality ship owners.
Seven years under
the Red Ensign
As UK Ship
Register Director, Doug Barrow will play a leading role in championing the UK
flag and building on recent growth in the register. Doug explains: “Having
started my career sailing for seven years under the Red Ensign, it will be a
great honour to take on this role. I’m incredibly enthusiastic about working
with a first-class team to ensure the UKSR is the register of choice for
quality owners.
I will bring a
commercial input into the register gained from 30 years in the bunker industry
– and, having spent the last 11 years promoting the UK as the world’s premier
maritime business centre, I will be bringing those skills to bear on my work
with the register.”
A more
commercially-attractive Ship Register
The Rt. Hon. John
Hayes CBE MP, Minister of State for Transport, says: “I’m delighted with this
appointment and with all the commercial experience that Doug will bring to the
UK Ship Register. We already have a great deal to be proud of in our UK
maritime sector, which provides a strong and resilient backbone to the economy.
The Government is committed to transforming the Ship Register to make it
globally competitive for the 21st century and Doug’s appointment will
undoubtedly drive the register forwards.”
Sir Alan Massey,
Chief Executive of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, comments: “This marks
a really exciting time for us as an Agency. The MCA’s aim is to make the UK
Ship Register both more commercially attractive and more responsive to ship
owners. This will create the right conditions to grow the UK-flagged merchant
fleet and help boost the UK’s wider maritime economy.
The UKSR team
under acting director Richard Pellew has worked tirelessly towards shaping a
more competitive offer to ship-owners. We’re now looking forward to welcoming
Doug Barrow, whose wealth of experience and knowledge will continue to drive
that work forward.”