The British Port Association (BPA) has welcomed the appointment of Kelly Tolhurst MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, to the role of UK Maritime Minister.
In a statement, the BPA’s Chief Executive Richard Ballantyne said the organisation “congratulates and welcomes Kelly Tolhurst to the best brief in Government.”
Ballantyne also expressed hope that the new Minister’s industry experience mean she will settle in quickly and be “an enthusiastic champion of the UK ports sector and wider maritime industry.”
What is a freeport?
Tolhurst was appointed as a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport on 13 February 2020.
In her now expanded role, she will oversee the UK’s maritime, aviation, security and civil contingencies briefs.
There will also be an emphasis on freeports, which the government plans to utilise as part of its post-Brexit trade strategy.
She replaces Nusrat Ghani, who left the role in last week’s cabinet reshuffle.
