UK appoints latest minister for shipping
The selection of of Baroness Vere of Norbiton returns the shipping brief to a more junior minister following Anne-Marie Trevelyan’s short tenure as secretary of state overseeing maritime matters
Industry insiders hope that the appointment of Baroness Vere draws a line under a recent period of political instability
THE UK Department for Transport has named Baroness Vere of Norbiton as the new minister responsible for the maritime sector.
Baroness Vere, who was reappointed as a parliamentary under-secretary of state last week, will oversee shipping matters alongside her existing aviation responsibilities.
The appointment, which follows a period of political instability for UK shipping in the wake of Rishi Sunak taking over as the third UK prime minster of 2022, confirms a return to more established norms within the DfT.
During Liz Truss’ tenure as Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister, the shipping brief was taken on personally by the then secretary of state for transport Anne-Marie Trevelyan, but the DfT has been slow to assign briefs since Mark Harper was appointed to replace her on October 25.
Appointing a more junior parliamentary under-secretary of state to take the brief replicates the previous roles held by former shipping and aviation minister Robert Courts.
Industry officials and UK government insiders have welcomed the announcement, but stressed that the industry now requires a period of stability.
“As the longest serving DfT minister her experience across a range of briefs will be crucial in joining up policy to ensure that shipping and the wider sector is central to key initiatives such as decarbonisation and improving our nation’s infrastructure,” said UK Chamber of Shipping chief executive Sarah Treseder.
“The shipping sector contains the best the UK has to offer with innovation, growth and prosperity at its core and I look forward to working with Minister Vere to ensure shipping can deliver its very best for the UK.”