Jacqui Smith, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, will today (13 January) visit the Schroders London International Boat Show at ExCel, Docklands.

The Minister will tour the show where she will meet members of the marine industry.

Jacqui Smith said: “The Schroders London International Boat Show’s move to ExCel is an excellent opportunity for the UK leisure marine industry to raise its international profile even further.

“We have a proud tradition in Britain for seafaring, and we recognise the contribution that the leisure marine industry makes to the UK economy, not least in terms of exports, tourism and the opportunities for regional development.

“The show is promoting a British manufacturing success story.”

The DTI has invested substantially in the sector in a variety of ways, including:

• Exports assistance and trade show support through UK Trade and Investment

• Superyacht UK, an industry initiative funded by UKTI, aimed at improving the marketing of the UK in that sector

• Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) to firms in the less developed areas of the UK, including a £2.9m grant to Pendennis Yachts in Falmouth to develop a new dry dock.

The boat show opens at 1000 this morning. Log onto yachtingworld.com for more details.