U.K. Shipping minister says he is committed to putting the £31.7-billion shipping industry center-stage. Stephen Hammond, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, speaking at a Maritime London/Shipping Professional Network London event underlined the government’s commitment to the U.K.’s maritime industry and declared its importance to Britain’s economic growth. Contributing £13.8bn to the U.K. economy directly and enabling a further £17.9 billionn, the U.K.’s maritime industry accounts for 2.1% of the entire economy, supports one in every 50 jobs and creates £8.5 billion for the U.K. Exchequer. Announcing the beginning of a “much more coordinated approach from the government to shipping policy,” Mr.