A seafarers training support scheme has contributed more than £500m to the UK economy. A funding programme managed by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to support men and women train for a career at sea is creating economic value worth nearly five times its outlay, an independent report has found.
The latest eight-year review of the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme, published on April 13, has calculated that from 2016-24 it contributed more than £500m to the UK economy from a cost of £117m to the public and £10m to the private sector.
It equates to a return of £4.78 for every £1 spent.
The initiative, which launched in 1998, provides financial assistance to employer-sponsors of up to 50% of the training costs for people to qualify as seafarer officers or ratings.
It is funded by the Department for Transport and from 1 April 2026 was extended by another year.
A report by Frazer-Nash Consultancy, which was instructed by the MCA to review value for money and provide external recommendations for ongoing success, finds ‘strong economic returns’ from Maritime and Coastguard Agency seafarer training support, according to a governmental press release on April 13.
The report said this means that for every £1 of public investment, approximately £4.78 is returned to the UK economy, primarily through the enhanced lifetime productivity of trained seafarers.
These benefits extend beyond their time at sea, as most former seafarers transition into shore-based roles within the maritime sector, continuing to contribute to national economic growth.
This strong multiplier effect is driven by enhanced lifetime productivity of seafarers, both at sea and in shore-based roles, and underscores the strategic importance of maintaining a skilled domestic maritime workforce.
Lars Lippuner, MCA director of UK Customer Service, said: “This latest review confirms SMarT is continuing to give strong support for the skills that the maritime sector relies on to thrive into the future. New technologies, fuels and digital systems are increasingly entering the merchant fleet. This presents a major opportunity for the UK which well-trained seafarers can assist in unlocking, bringing benefit to their industry and the wider economy.
“This review shows what we have been doing right but also where we need to develop in the future to ensure SMarT continues to nurture seafarer skills and builds on success for decades to come.”
The MCA will consider the report’s recommendations with a view to further strengthening SMarT’s benefits and return on investment.
