New Clyde Maritime Alliance Targets Growth, Skills and Investment

A new Clyde Maritime Alliance has launched to bring businesses, skills organisations and public-sector partners together around the future of the River Clyde’s maritime economy.

The alliance was announced on 11 September 2026, with founding members including BAE Systems, Babcock International Group, Dales Marine Services, Ferguson Marine, JFD Limited, Malin Group and Peel Ports Clydeport.

Its initial priorities include workforce development, inward investment, infrastructure, supply-chain opportunities and collaborative funding bids. Glasgow City Region, Skills Development Scotland and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce are among the organisations involved, with Scottish Enterprise and government funding also supporting work around the alliance and maritime skills.

Clyde maritime employers support nearly 8,000 jobs

Research carried out as part of the work behind the alliance highlights the scale of the sector.

Five major Clyde maritime employers, Babcock Marine, BAE Systems, Dales Marine Services, Ferguson Marine and Malin Group, employ nearly 8,000 people between them.

The workforce spans areas such as structural trades, systems engineering, naval architecture and vessel outfitting, giving the Clyde one of the UK’s largest concentrations of maritime and marine-engineering skills.

The alliance follows earlier work on the Clyde Maritime Skills Programme, which brought employers, colleges, local authorities and skills organisations together to examine future workforce needs.

Skills support is also being targeted at smaller employers, with three Scottish electrical firms receiving funding towards the cost of first-year apprentices.

Among the projects the new alliance plans to support are the Scottish Maritime Technology Park and Inchgreen, alongside efforts to attract further investment and funding into the region.

More businesses invited to join

The Clyde Maritime Alliance is also looking for additional members and partners.

Businesses in the maritime supply chain, education providers, investors and public-sector organisations are being invited to take part as the alliance develops its programme of work.

For Scottish suppliers, manufacturers and engineering companies, this could make the alliance particularly relevant as larger shipbuilding, defence and maritime projects create demand further down the supply chain.

Ferguson Marine, one of the founding members, said the partnership would help the Clyde retain skills and position businesses to compete for future maritime work.