LONDON: Figures launched by the Department for Transport show that the deadweight tonnage of the UK-registered trading fleet has decreased by 27% since 2009, whilst the combined deadweight tonnage of the world trading fleet has increased by 34%.
The total number of ships in the world trading fleet has increased by 5% from 54,125 ships to 56.759, but the number of vessels registered in the UK decreased by 36%, from 712 to 453 during the same period.
In 2013 alone, 66 ships left the UK flag whilst only 19 joined – with countries such as Singapore and China being among the key beneficiaries.
