Shifting challenges for British maritime policy

Although Britain may no longer "rule the waves" in terms of national fleet presence, London still maintains its supremacy as the world's leading maritime centre. However, with the decline of the fleet there has been an inevitable decline in the maritime skills-base and a loss of shipping expertise. The authors review half a century of government maritime policy measures and of recurrent challenges confronted with varying degrees of success, and identify the current period as critical for the future of London as a maritime centre and as a crossroads in British maritime policy.