The Shipping and Maritime Industries

The Sector

The shipping and maritime industry consists of a number of different sectors all contributing to what is an impressive £62 billion market in the UK alone, and £2 trillion world-wide.

95% of all international trade is carried by approximately 50,000 commercial ships, and handled through seaports that are usually the drivers of local economies. The total market of over 100,000 vessels also includes cruise and passenger ships, fishing vessels, offshore supply vessels, and wide range of work boats and specialist ships.

The UK’s maritime environment is important, with increasing use for renewable energy technologies such as wind farms and tidal power, for fish farming and mineral extraction through dredging. Recognition of its importance and the need for its protection is supported by UK and European legislation, such as the Marine Bill.

Our Experience

3Spheres UK’s Directors and Associates probably have more experience of conducting research in this sector than any other research agency, having undertaken the largest research programme of over 4,000 shipping companies world-wide and 2,500 personnel on ships’ bridges.

Research experience also includes hundreds of discussions with ship builders and repairers, port authorities, equipment and communications service suppliers, and a wide variety of other service providers and intermediaries: from brokering to shipping agents, from insurance to regulations and the law, from classification to training. This experience covers deep sea, coastal and inland waterways.

Research projects undertaken in the maritime market include market studies, new product and service development, customer needs and satisfaction, competitor analyses, and branding and marketing evaluations.
3Spheres UK’s team has undertaken research into environmental aspects of the maritime environment, informational requirements and the putting in place of a maritime spatial data infrastructure.

For research in the maritime industry contact 3Spheres UK.

Client Quotes

“The depth of your market research knowledge and your contribution to the sales and marketing team has been greatly valued. Your work on the Marketing Communications evaluation research recently completed will help shape the repositioning of the UKHO in the future.”

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