On 26 February, Baltic Exchange Chair Guy Hindley and Head of Membership Jos Standerwick met with UK Maritime Minister Keir Mather MP at the Lloyd’s Register headquarters in London. The discussion brought together senior representatives from twelve leading maritime organisations to explore how professional services can drive UK growth and support the shipping sector’s decarbonisation ambitions.

 

During the discussion, Guy Hindley highlighted the Baltic Exchange’s critical role in the global shipping industry. He explained how membership at the Baltic serves as a recognised stamp of quality in international freight markets, and how the Baltic Code sets a baseline for ethical conduct across physical and derivative markets. He noted that the Baltic’s independent freight and shipping benchmarks support transparent price discovery, enable effective risk management and facilitate the settlement of contracts worldwide.

 

Hindley also highlighted the Baltic's efforts to broaden its services in response to the sector’s changing requirements. These include tools such as emissions calculators and a KYC platform designed to help members better manage risk in an increasingly complex landscape. He described the Baltic Exchange as a central hub for the freight market in London, connecting the industry and supporting its growth.

 

Reflecting on the meeting, Jos Standerwick said:

“Minister Mather demonstrated a strong understanding of, and affinity with, the market, and listened closely to both the challenges and opportunities facing the UK and global shipping sectors. In this dynamic environment, the Baltic Exchange stands ready to work with the Minister and his team to share insight into the effects of regulation and foreign policy on global shipping markets.”

 

The roundtable brought together specialists from the Department for Transport alongside representatives from the legal, insurance, banking, brokerage, cruise, and shipping industries. Conversations centred on several themes, including workforce development and training, maritime professional services and how the sector can contribute to meeting international decarbonisation goals.

 

The meeting reflected the Baltic Exchange’s commitment to supporting the UK shipping industry, fostering collaboration across the maritime community, and contributing to a sustainable global shipping market.