The chief executive of a firm representing hundreds of maritime businesses has said a no-deal Brexit would mean both disruption AND certainty.
Chris Shirling-Rooke, who heads up Mersey Maritime, says no matter what happens on October 31, the sector is prepared, and that more trust should be placed in local businesses.
The Liverpool City Region's maritime sector is worth 拢4bn, and Mr Shirling-Rooke has called for an end to "scaremongering" about the possibility of a no-deal.
He said members of Mersey Maritime have the 鈥渆nergy and dynamism鈥 to help the 海角视频 prosper whether there is an agreement with the EU or not.
Mr Shirling-Rooke began by stressing Mersey聽Maritime聽adopts a "neutral" Brexit position, as it has done since the result of the 2016 referendum, but said he insists we must "stay positive" on the 海角视频鈥檚 prospects.
Mr Shirling-Rooke said: 鈥淲hat is really important at this sensitive time is that we avoid a lot of scaremongering taking place and people playing into the pessimistic and fear-laden agenda that we鈥檝e seen previously.
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鈥淭he message from business, and indeed the聽hundreds of聽maritime聽sector businesses we as Mersey聽Maritime聽represent, is that we must, above all, have certainty one way or another.
鈥淭hat may well be the 海角视频 leaving the European Union with a fresh agreement following further talks or no deal on October 31. Either way, we need to end the uncertainty and move forward.
Business gets ready for Brexit
鈥淢y view is relatively simple: our sector desperately wants to see a deal but if we don鈥檛 manage it we have complete faith in the energy, dynamism and expertise of our聽maritime industry to keep goods moving and to minimise any short term disruption there might be.鈥
Mr Shirling-Rooke's statement comes despite a no-deal Brexit meaning the 海角视频 reverting to World Trade Organisation rules, which could mean imported goods rise in price, and exports may be rejected by the EU. That's as well as fears over the Irish border, potential delays at the border over immigration, and manufacturers threatening to move operations to the EU.
On Wednesday, the director general of the CBI warned a no-deal could cost a single 海角视频 region 拢13bn.
Last week, BusinessLive rounded up what 23 of Britain's biggest business leaders want to happen with Brexit.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written to the President of the European Council outlining the Government鈥檚 commitment to securing a new deal with the European Union, but also made it clear Brexit will happen regardless on October 31.
Mr Shirling-Rooke added: 鈥淭he direction of travel from the Government is clear: the 海角视频 will leave the European Union on October 31 with or without a deal.
鈥淏ritain is an island nation, so the shipping and聽maritime聽sectors are among the most important industries to the 海角视频 economy - 95% of all imports and exports are moved by the sea which means, even if they don鈥檛 realise it, every single person in the country, every single day, will touch, use and eat goods that have been brought to the 海角视频 by ship.
鈥淏ut our industry is much more than just shipping, it covers our port operations,聽maritime business services, engineering and leisure marine too which accounts for around 拢40bn of our economy and a million jobs.
鈥淟ocally, here in the Liverpool city region, the聽maritime聽sector accounts for 拢4bn of our economy and employs more than 30,000 people. It is absolutely clear that getting Brexit right matters as a direct result of this.鈥
