[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":694},["ShallowReactive",2],{"news-\u002Fnews\u002Fsouthampton-maritime-business-connections":3,"site:reading-news-southampton-maritime-business-connections":346,"news-rows":449,"site:og:\u002Fnews\u002Fsouthampton-maritime-business-connections":692},{"id":4,"title":5,"answeredBy":6,"atAGlance":6,"author":7,"blocks":6,"body":8,"date":302,"description":303,"events":304,"extension":311,"gettingThere":6,"image":312,"imageAlt":313,"imageCredit":314,"interview":6,"kind":315,"lifted":6,"means":6,"meta":316,"navigation":317,"now":6,"organisers":6,"path":318,"photos":6,"pick":6,"pull":6,"questions":6,"quote":6,"readMins":319,"scene":6,"seo":320,"source":6,"sources":321,"span":6,"standfirst":339,"stem":340,"steps":6,"tags":341,"town":6,"updated":344,"venues":6,"was":6,"__hash__":345},"news\u002Fnews\u002Fsouthampton-maritime-business-connections.md","Southampton's maritime economy and who it meets",null,"hampshire.events",{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":292},"minimark",[11,15,20,31,71,80,95,99,108,138,141,145,154,158,166,169,228,232,235,261,265],[12,13,14],"p",{},"Southampton is a port city, and the port is large by any measure. What is less obvious from the waterfront is how much of the maritime economy sits away from the docks, in engineering firms, boatyards, insurers, software suppliers and training providers. For a local business, that wider sector is where the connections are.",[16,17,19],"h2",{"id":18},"the-port-in-figures","The port in figures",[12,21,22,23,30],{},"On its ",[24,25,29],"a",{"href":26,"rel":27},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abports.co.uk\u002Flocations\u002Fsouthampton\u002F",[28],"nofollow","Southampton page",", Associated British Ports (ABP), which owns and runs the port, says it:",[32,33,34,47,54,61,64],"ul",{},[35,36,37,38,42,43,46],"li",{},"supports ",[39,40,41],"strong",{},"45,600 jobs"," and contributes ",[39,44,45],{},"£2.5 billion"," to the economy each year;",[35,48,49,50,53],{},"handles exports worth ",[39,51,52],{},"£40 billion"," a year;",[35,55,56,57,60],{},"processes ",[39,58,59],{},"600,000 vehicles"," a year, and calls itself the UK's number one vehicle handling port;",[35,62,63],{},"is home to the UK's second largest container terminal;",[35,65,66,67,70],{},"welcomes around ",[39,68,69],{},"three million cruise passengers"," a year.",[12,72,73,74,79],{},"These are ABP's own figures and the page does not give a date for them. Its cruise figures are more recent. In ",[24,75,78],{"href":76,"rel":77},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.abports.co.uk\u002Fnews-and-media\u002Flatest-news\u002F2025\u002Fmore-cruise-records-broken-for-sector-leader-southampton-in-2025",[28],"December 2025, ABP said"," Southampton had welcomed over three million cruise passengers for the second year running, with its highest number of cruise calls. Citing Carnival UK's 2025 economic report, it said each cruise that starts or ends in Southampton contributes between £1.9 million and £2.5 million to the region. That estimate comes from a cruise operator's commissioned report, so treat it as the industry's figure.",[12,81,82,83,88,89,94],{},"The official employment survey gives a separate view of the city. In 2024, ",[24,84,87],{"href":85,"rel":86},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nomisweb.co.uk\u002Fdatasets\u002Fnewbres6pub",[28],"BRES counted"," about 10,000 transport and storage jobs in Southampton, 8.7% of the city's employment, against 4.6% across the Hampshire County Council area. ",[24,90,93],{"href":91,"rel":92},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.nomisweb.co.uk\u002Fdatasets\u002Fidbrent",[28],"UK Business Counts"," recorded 825 transport and storage businesses based in the city in March 2026.",[16,96,98],{"id":97},"the-wider-maritime-sector","The wider maritime sector",[12,100,101,102,107],{},"The port is one part of a bigger sector. In March 2026 the Hampshire and the Solent Local Skills Improvement Plan published a ",[24,103,106],{"href":104,"rel":105},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.hampshirechamber.co.uk\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002FLSIP-Maritime-Sector-Report-Final.pdf",[28],"maritime sector report",", drawing on an April 2026 economic impact study for the industry body Maritime Solent by WPI Economics. It found that the sector across Hampshire and the Solent:",[32,109,110,121,131],{},[35,111,112,113,116,117,120],{},"directly supports ",[39,114,115],{},"46,100 jobs"," and ",[39,118,119],{},"£4.6 billion"," of gross value added (GVA) a year;",[35,122,123,124,116,127,130],{},"reaches ",[39,125,126],{},"149,100 jobs",[39,128,129],{},"£12.2 billion"," of GVA once supply chains and spending are included;",[35,132,133,134,137],{},"produces about ",[39,135,136],{},"£100,500 of GVA per worker",", which the report says is well above the UK average.",[12,139,140],{},"The report lists what the sector includes: commercial shipping and cruise at Southampton, defence and shipbuilding at Portsmouth, leisure marine and superyachts along the coast, ports and logistics, offshore energy and maritime business services. It notes that 40% of British Marine's membership is based in Hampshire, and that the Southampton International Boat Show attracts around 100,000 visitors a year.",[16,142,144],{"id":143},"the-freeport","The Freeport",[12,146,147,148,153],{},"The ",[24,149,152],{"href":150,"rel":151},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.solentfreeport.com\u002F",[28],"Solent Freeport"," is the main new piece. The skills report says it was designated in 2022. Its tax sites include Navigator Quarter, Dunsbury Park and several sites on Southampton Water, and its partners include ABP, Portsmouth International Port, Southampton Airport and several councils, Hampshire County Council among them. The Freeport's own site gives its aims as 15,000 jobs and a £1 billion uplift in GVA. Those are targets, not results.",[16,155,157],{"id":156},"where-maritime-businesses-and-their-neighbours-meet","Where maritime businesses and their neighbours meet",[12,159,160,161,165],{},"The sector has its own networks. ",[24,162,164],{"href":163},"\u002Forganisers\u002Fmaritime-solent","Maritime Solent",", the industry body behind the 2026 study, has an organiser page with us, though nothing of theirs is listed at the moment. Most maritime suppliers, though, meet their customers and partners at general business events, because the people who buy from a marine engineering firm or a logistics software company are often in finance, operations or HR rather than at a marine trade night.",[12,167,168],{},"In Southampton, the listings show several kinds of room where that happens:",[32,170,171,187,197,207,217],{},[35,172,173,176,177,181,182,186],{},[39,174,175],{},"Chamber and business association events."," ",[24,178,180],{"href":179},"\u002Forganisers\u002Fhampshire-chamber-of-commerce","Hampshire Chamber of Commerce"," runs evening and daytime events in the city, and the ",[24,183,185],{"href":184},"\u002Fguides\u002Fwhat-does-a-chamber-of-commerce-do","guide to what a chamber does"," explains how they work.",[35,188,189,176,192,196],{},[39,190,191],{},"Regular breakfast groups.",[24,193,195],{"href":194},"\u002Forganisers\u002Fsolent-business-connections","Solent Business Connections"," meets fortnightly, with open networking and short pitches.",[35,198,199,176,202,206],{},[39,200,201],{},"Large venues with their own series.",[24,203,205],{"href":204},"\u002Forganisers\u002Fsouthampton-fc","Southampton FC"," runs a leadership breakfast series for local business people.",[35,208,209,176,212,216],{},[39,210,211],{},"Expos.",[24,213,215],{"href":214},"\u002Forganisers\u002Fb2b-expos","B2B Expos"," runs a regional exhibition in Southampton with seminars and exhibitors.",[35,218,219,222,223,227],{},[39,220,221],{},"Specialist roundtables."," The ",[24,224,226],{"href":225},"\u002Forganisers\u002Fcipd-wessex-branch","CIPD Wessex branch"," runs a roundtable for senior HR and people leaders across the Solent, which matters in a sector where the skills report lists several hard-to-fill roles.",[16,229,231],{"id":230},"what-this-means-if-youre-going-to-events","What this means if you're going to events",[12,233,234],{},"If you sell to the maritime sector, or want to:",[32,236,237,243,249,255],{},[35,238,239,242],{},[39,240,241],{},"Work out which part of it you serve."," Cruise, cargo, defence, leisure marine and offshore energy have different buyers. The LSIP report's list of sub-sectors is a good map.",[35,244,245,248],{},[39,246,247],{},"Go where the buyers are, not only where the boats are."," Operations, finance and people leaders go to general business events. Specialist evenings are better for peers.",[35,250,251,254],{},[39,252,253],{},"Ask about skills."," The skills report cites a 2023 study in which 75% of maritime employers struggled to find candidates with the right employability or interpersonal skills, and says the 2026 evidence shows the same. Training providers, colleges and recruiters are a real part of this sector's conversations.",[35,256,257,260],{},[39,258,259],{},"Bring the figures with care."," If you quote the port's or the sector's numbers, say whose they are and when. The ABP and Freeport figures are the organisations' own, and the GVA estimates are from studies commissioned by the industry.",[16,262,264],{"id":263},"find-the-next-one","Find the next one",[12,266,267,268,272,273,277,278,116,282,286,287,291],{},"The listings below are the current dates. For more, see the ",[24,269,271],{"href":270},"\u002Ftowns\u002Fsouthampton","Southampton"," town page, ",[24,274,276],{"href":275},"\u002Fareas\u002Fsouthampton-and-the-solent","Southampton and the Solent",", ",[24,279,281],{"href":280},"\u002Fformats\u002Fbreakfasts","breakfasts",[24,283,285],{"href":284},"\u002Fformats\u002Fexpos","expos",", or everything on ",[24,288,290],{"href":289},"\u002Fthis-week","this week",".",{"title":293,"searchDepth":294,"depth":294,"links":295},"",2,[296,297,298,299,300,301],{"id":18,"depth":294,"text":19},{"id":97,"depth":294,"text":98},{"id":143,"depth":294,"text":144},{"id":156,"depth":294,"text":157},{"id":230,"depth":294,"text":231},{"id":263,"depth":294,"text":264},"2026-06-12","The port, the cruise trade and the wider marine sector in figures, and what that means for local firms looking to meet the businesses around it.",[305,306,307,308,309,310],"exclusive-networking-evening-at-level1","solent-business-connections-breakfast-meeting","southampton-fc-leadership-breakfast","b2bx-southampton-expo-november-2026","networking-at-solent-business-centre","solent-senior-people-leaders-roundtable","md","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1613423468841-f8d8ca10bf3f?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","Boats moored on the Hamble near Southampton","Jessica Burnett · unsplash.com\u002Fphotos\u002FpgnkabJWcsk","article",{},true,"\u002Fnews\u002Fsouthampton-maritime-business-connections",4,{"title":5,"description":303},[322,325,328,331,332,336],{"title":323,"publisher":324,"url":26},"Port of Southampton","Associated British Ports",{"title":326,"publisher":324,"url":76,"date":327},"More cruise records broken for sector leader Southampton in 2025","2025-12-23",{"title":329,"publisher":180,"url":104,"date":330},"Maritime sector: skills needs and workforce development (Hampshire and the Solent Local Skills Improvement Plan)","2026-03",{"title":152,"publisher":152,"url":150},{"title":333,"publisher":334,"url":85,"date":335},"Business Register and Employment Survey: open access, 2024","Office for National Statistics (via Nomis)","2025-10-28",{"title":337,"publisher":334,"url":91,"date":338},"UK Business Counts: enterprises by industry and employment size band, 2026","2026-09-24","Associated British Ports says the Port of Southampton supports 45,600 jobs, and a 2026 study puts direct maritime employment across Hampshire and the Solent at 46,100. Here is what the sector is made of, and where its suppliers and neighbours can meet it.","news\u002Fsouthampton-maritime-business-connections",[271,342,343],"Maritime","Industry","2026-11-12","cp18m0eNFz2uLjg2v5rS16i7BG5CD7V9U5zbEhN1tzQ",{"today":347,"events":348,"pick":6,"organisers":446,"venues":447,"town":6,"townEvents":448},"2026-11-13",[349,372,389,401,413,429],{"id":350,"series":307,"date":351,"href":352,"title":353,"start":354,"end":355,"day":356,"time":357,"endTime":358,"slot":359,"format":281,"town":271,"townSlug":360,"venue":361,"venueSlug":362,"organiser":205,"organiserSlug":363,"price":364,"isFree":317,"priceWords":365,"isOnline":366,"access":367,"checked":368,"checkedAt":369,"lat":370,"lng":371},"c18bf755-98f4-42ef-ba5e-3e0e55d3e9a7","thursday-19-november","\u002Fevents\u002Fsouthampton-fc-leadership-breakfast\u002Fthursday-19-november","Southampton FC Leadership Breakfast","2026-11-19T08:30:00+00:00","2026-11-19T10:30:00+00:00","2026-11-19","08:30","10:30","morning","southampton","St Mary's Stadium","st-mary-s-stadium","southampton-fc",0,"No ticket price",false,"Open to all","Checked 4 Nov","2026-11-04",50.905862,-1.390877,{"id":373,"series":306,"date":374,"href":375,"title":376,"start":377,"end":378,"day":379,"time":380,"endTime":381,"slot":359,"format":281,"town":271,"townSlug":360,"venue":382,"venueSlug":383,"organiser":195,"organiserSlug":384,"price":364,"isFree":317,"priceWords":365,"isOnline":366,"access":367,"checked":385,"checkedAt":386,"lat":387,"lng":388},"343ece89-e2b5-43e1-bf2e-92ddab6a5377","wednesday-25-november","\u002Fevents\u002Fsolent-business-connections-breakfast-meeting\u002Fwednesday-25-november","Solent Business Connections breakfast meeting","2026-11-25T07:15:00+00:00","2026-11-25T09:15:00+00:00","2026-11-25","07:15","09:15","Harper's Steakhouse","harper-s-steakhouse","solent-business-connections","Checked 19 Oct","2026-10-19",50.883804,-1.299313,{"id":390,"series":305,"date":374,"href":391,"title":392,"start":393,"end":394,"day":379,"time":395,"endTime":396,"slot":397,"format":397,"town":271,"townSlug":360,"venue":361,"venueSlug":362,"organiser":180,"organiserSlug":398,"price":399,"isFree":366,"priceWords":400,"isOnline":366,"access":367,"checked":385,"checkedAt":386,"lat":370,"lng":371},"48e0e8da-e9d3-499b-b5df-9a8e02ccdc8d","\u002Fevents\u002Fexclusive-networking-evening-at-level1\u002Fwednesday-25-november","Exclusive Networking Evening at LEVEL1","2026-11-25T18:00:00+00:00","2026-11-25T20:00:00+00:00","18:00","20:00","after-work","hampshire-chamber-of-commerce",5,"£5",{"id":402,"series":308,"date":403,"href":404,"title":405,"start":406,"end":407,"day":408,"time":409,"endTime":410,"slot":411,"format":285,"town":271,"townSlug":360,"venue":361,"venueSlug":362,"organiser":215,"organiserSlug":412,"price":364,"isFree":317,"priceWords":365,"isOnline":366,"access":367,"checked":385,"checkedAt":386,"lat":370,"lng":371},"de515431-722b-4237-aabd-459fdd0788d9","thursday-26-november","\u002Fevents\u002Fb2bx-southampton-expo-november-2026\u002Fthursday-26-november","B2BX Southampton Expo – November 2026","2026-11-26T10:00:00+00:00","2026-11-26T14:00:00+00:00","2026-11-26","10:00","14:00","day","b2b-expos",{"id":414,"series":310,"date":415,"href":416,"title":417,"start":418,"end":419,"day":420,"time":395,"endTime":421,"slot":397,"format":397,"town":271,"townSlug":360,"venue":422,"venueSlug":423,"organiser":424,"organiserSlug":425,"price":364,"isFree":317,"priceWords":365,"isOnline":366,"access":367,"checked":385,"checkedAt":386,"lat":426,"lng":427,"photo":428},"47a445d7-0047-44b5-b13d-75d7ee7c2d7a","tuesday-1-december","\u002Fevents\u002Fsolent-senior-people-leaders-roundtable\u002Ftuesday-1-december","Solent Senior People Leaders Roundtable","2026-12-01T18:00:00+00:00","2026-12-01T20:30:00+00:00","2026-12-01","20:30","Chilworth Manor","chilworth-manor","CIPD Wessex Branch","cipd-wessex-branch",50.962985,-1.425426,"https:\u002F\u002Fbusinesseventstack.lon1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\u002Fhampshire\u002Flisting-images\u002F4084d210-a765-41b8-b3c0-ce3da195f4dd.jpg",{"id":430,"series":309,"date":431,"href":432,"title":433,"start":434,"end":435,"day":436,"time":437,"endTime":410,"slot":411,"format":438,"town":271,"townSlug":360,"venue":439,"venueSlug":440,"organiser":441,"organiserSlug":442,"price":364,"isFree":317,"priceWords":365,"isOnline":366,"access":367,"checked":385,"checkedAt":386,"lat":443,"lng":444,"photo":445},"b0721ee7-e9c8-4edd-8f47-48e52060594a","wednesday-16-december","\u002Fevents\u002Fnetworking-at-solent-business-centre\u002Fwednesday-16-december","Networking At Solent Business Centre","2026-12-16T12:00:00+00:00","2026-12-16T14:00:00+00:00","2026-12-16","12:00","lunches","Solent Business Centre","solent-business-centre","Enterprise South","enterprise-south",50.913378,-1.438722,"https:\u002F\u002Fbusinesseventstack.lon1.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\u002Fhampshire\u002Flisting-images\u002Fe9dffba9-586f-403a-9298-18cd712ca8f8.jpg",[],[],[],[450,459,468,473,481,489,495,503,510,517,524,532,534,542,551,560,568,576,583,591,598,605,612,619,626,634,641,649,656,664,671,678,685],{"path":451,"title":452,"date":344,"tags":453,"image":456,"imageAlt":457,"kind":458,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnovember-edition-2026","The November edition: ideas, expos and awards",[454,455],"Events","Networking","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1711390811937-1b061eaf28ea?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","Visitors walking between stands at a trade show","article-edition",{"path":460,"title":461,"date":462,"tags":463,"image":464,"imageAlt":465,"kind":466,"readMins":467},"\u002Fnews\u002Fchristmas-business-networking-2026","Christmas networking 2026: festive dates across Hampshire","2026-10-21",[454,455],"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1511988617509-a57c8a288659?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","A group of friends laughing together","article-season",3,{"path":469,"title":470,"date":471,"tags":472,"image":456,"imageAlt":457,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fhampshire-business-show-2026-guide","Hampshire Business Show: getting the most from an expo","2026-10-20",[454,271],{"path":474,"title":475,"date":476,"tags":477,"image":479,"imageAlt":480,"kind":315,"readMins":399},"\u002Fnews\u002Fintroducing-hampshire-events","Introducing hampshire.events: one checked list","2026-10-15",[478,455],"Community","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1579045846121-299dc925c614?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","Boats moored at Southampton",{"path":482,"title":483,"date":484,"tags":485,"image":487,"imageAlt":488,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsustainability-on-the-business-agenda","Sustainability on the business agenda: figures and meet-ups","2026-10-08",[486,454],"Sustainability","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1719962865624-e3196c1e1206?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","Steps leading into the gardens at Mottisfont, near Romsey",{"path":490,"title":491,"date":338,"tags":492,"image":493,"imageAlt":494,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fhampshire-business-awards-season-2026","Awards season: Hampshire's business awards this autumn",[454,478],"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1587825140708-dfaf72ae4b04?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","A speaker on stage in front of a large audience",{"path":496,"title":497,"date":498,"tags":499,"image":501,"imageAlt":502,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fbreakfast-groups-back-september","Hampshire's breakfast groups: how they work and why","2026-09-03",[455,500],"Tips","https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1604881988758-f76ad2f7aac1?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","Two people holding mugs of coffee at a table",{"path":504,"title":505,"date":506,"tags":507,"image":508,"imageAlt":509,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fautumn-business-calendar-2026","Hampshire's big business days this autumn","2026-08-13",[454,343],"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1540575467063-178a50c2df87?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","An audience seated in rows at a conference",{"path":511,"title":512,"date":513,"tags":514,"image":515,"imageAlt":516,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fnetwalking-business-outdoors","Netwalking: why business conversations are moving outdoors","2026-07-23",[455,478],"https:\u002F\u002Fimages.unsplash.com\u002Fphoto-1486579425215-d11603200406?auto=format&fit=crop&w=1600&q=70","A walker on a forest track in the New Forest near Lyndhurst",{"path":518,"title":519,"date":520,"tags":521,"image":522,"imageAlt":523,"kind":315,"readMins":319},"\u002Fnews\u002Fsummer-networking-hampshire","Summer networking in Hampshire: keeping in 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