Fleetwood is 'First Port of Call' for Maritime Minister

Published on 19/05/2025 by DBUCK

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Fleetwood Nautical Campus (FNC) welcomed the Maritime Minister last week for a significant factfinding visit and tour.

Mike Kane MP, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security at the Department for Transport (DfT), was making his first-ever visit to one of the UK’s four specialist maritime colleges.

FNC boasts more than 130 years of delivering high-quality maritime education producing world class seafarers and offshore professionals through provision that is continually evolving to meet the dynamic needs of the industry.

The visit began with a tour of FNC’s state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced simulation and training environments that give students immersive, real-world learning experiences.

Accompanied by Lorraine Beavers, Blackpool North and Fleetwood MP, the Minister explored the full mission bridge, engine room and vessel traffic service simulators, as well as the Marine Engineering Centre and environmental training tank.

He also met employees and students to hear how FNC is preparing the next generation of seafarers in discussions about decarbonisation, new technologies and future workforce needs.

Later, Mr Kane chaired a DfT Maritime Skills roundtable event with key North West stakeholders that focussed on expanding skills provision and reinforcing the region’s role as a leading centre for training and development.

Participants included representatives from Port Skills and Safety, national and regional ports groups such as Associated British Ports, CLdN, Liverpool Cruise Port, Global Ports Holding and Peel Ports Group. Also attending were major logistics and international transport and travel service firms, including Maersk and Stena Line, shipbuilder Cammel Laird, plus academic institutions such as the University of Central Lancashire and Liverpool John Moores University.

Maritime Minister, Mike Kane said: “I was pleased to visit Fleetwood Nautical Campus and to see first-hand the outstanding training they offer for maritime students.”

“I am so proud of our hardworking seafarers, and our world-leading maritime colleges are vital for shaping the next generation of mariners.

“That’s why, in collaboration with the Maritime Coastguard Agency, we have just extended our training funding for maritime cadets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and encouraging more people into the sector.”

As part of Blackpool and The Fylde College, FNC’s state-of-the-art facilities, expert tutors and an exceptional graduate-to-employment rate have secured it an international reputation for excellence in Merchant Navy education and training.

During his visit, the Minister heard how FNC’s repute for world class further and higher education and maritime apprenticeships was highlighted earlier this year when Luka Haynes became their 11th officer trainee in the past 18 years to win the prestigious ‘Officer Trainee of the Year’ award from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, which prompted the Minister to remark that there “must be something in the (River) Wyre”.

Captain Neil Atkinson, Head of FNC, said: “It was a great pleasure to host Mike Kane at the Fleetwood Nautical Campus and introduce him to our employees, students and apprentices.”

“It was refreshing to hear the Minister having thoughtful conversations with our teams about pedagogy and how we are preparing seafarers with future-ready skills by embedding technology and decarbonisation into learning whilst also recognising that great people are what makes this sector so successful.

“The roundtable discussion underlined an ambitious shared commitment to growing maritime skills across the North West – and FNC will play a very active part in that agenda.”