‘Cornwall’s Marine Future’ is a blueprint for sustainable economic growth of the marine sector in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. It aligns with all key national, regional, and local economic plans and leverages Cornish strengths in marine innovation, placing Cornwall at the forefront of global efforts to build a cleaner, more resilient industrial future.
Paul Wickes MBE, CEO, Cornwall Marine Network, said, “Cornwall’s Marine Future’ sets out a pathway for development of the Cornwall marine sector, already a showcase for world-class engineering, boatbuilding, advanced manufacturing and defense. The next five years will be critical as we seize the multiple opportunities created by the advances in AI and other smart technologies, including developing our ports and harbors and local supply chains to support the fast-growing industries of the future.”
Professor Martin Siegert, Vice-President & Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Exeter (Cornwall) added: “The marine sector in Cornwall is a hotbed of innovation. We are proud to work closely with marine businesses to realize their full potential, bringing innovation projects to commercialization and accelerating further development. ‘Cornwall’s Marine Future’ is a vital steppingstone to creating the conditions for transformational growth in the marine sector.”
Cornwall Marine Network and the University of Exeter have collaborated alongside industry and stakeholders to define the Priority Actions 2026–2031 that will be critical to success and will lay the foundations for future development over the next decade and beyond.
The Priority Actions are wide ranging, including marine infrastructure development, business support, skills support, and strategic collaboration. These include pioneering developments that are expected to set new standards nationally and internationally.
Recognized by Maritime UK as a ‘Coastal Powerhouse,’ Cornwall Marine Network (CMN) is Cornwall’s marine sector business support cluster organization. CMN was commissioned by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Economic Forum to work closely with businesses to develop this Growth Plan. The University of Exeter has added its academic expertise and significant research and development experience in the sector, as well as its in-depth understanding of marine innovation.
See the Cornwall Marine Sector Growth Plan 2026-2031 at https://cornwallmarine.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Cornwalls-Marine-Future.pdf