Clipper yacht race helps form trade alliance

12/03/2010

Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has secured a rare tripartite trade collaboration relationship with counterpart agencies in Qingdao, China and Cape Breton, Canada during the latest stopover in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

A high powered delegation of local businesses, led by a Humber Partnership and coordinated on their behalf by Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce, concluded a week long visit to the Chinese east coast port of Qingdao by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The agreement is between government agencies representing economic development and inward investment in the three city-regions. It was signed by Madam Zhang Li, Director General of Qingdao Municipal Overseas Investment and Promotion Bureau; Sarah Pearson, Assistant Director of Humber at Yorkshire Forward; and Glen MacDonald, Commercial Account Manager at Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation.

Sarah Pearson said: “We were delighted to be invited to be part of this three-way relationship. The memorandum brings together Qingdao, Cape Breton  and Yorkshire and the Humber to promote communications and cooperation between our companies and organisations, especially in two-way investment, technology cooperation, import and export, trade exhibitions, education, tourism and culture.”

All three city-regions have common interests in various aspects of seafood with some common trade links already in existence; they will also explore the opportunity for reciprocal visits by business and government during forthcoming Clipper Race stopovers in Cape Breton in mid June and at the race finish in Hull and the Humber on 17 July.

Madam Zhang Li said: “It is clear that there are common market opportunities and potential to develop activities in other areas. The Memorandum of Understanding is a first step in establishing more regular communication, exchanges and support, not only during the remainder of the current Clipper Race, but also beyond it.”

Glen MacDonald of Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation said: “The Clipper Race has helped us make connections through which a variety of trade opportunities have been identified with other sponsoring countries.

“We look forward to hosting a delegation from Hull & Humber in Cape Breton in June and leading a trade delegation to Hull & Humber in July for the race finish.”

Qingdao has also indicated it would like to send delegates to Hull in July to build on this agreement and a further collaboration between Hull & Humber and Qingdao Chambers of Commerce. The two Chambers plan to strengthen links between their members, building on existing trade through such companies as Chaucer Foods and Coldwater Seafood and supporting new opportunities as they arise.

Building a strong relationship with local government in China is an essential component of developing sustainable business opportunities for UK companies. Hull and the Humber has been able to build on the contacts established by Yorkshire Forward in the last race – Clipper 07-08 – and with representatives from Qingdao who came to the current race start last September,  when the Chinese invited the Lord Mayor of Hull to visit them during the stopover in Qingdao.

The presence of the Lord Mayor, Councillor Karen Woods, is believed to have added considerable credibility to the delegation and created opportunities to meet with the Mayor of Qingdao and other senior officials. Delegates already trading in the area remarked that they had not had access to such senior representatives previously.

The Lord Mayor met with the Mayor of Qingdao and also addressed government officials at a special reception shortly after the Clipper fleet left on its longest leg across the Pacific Ocean. She said: It’s hard to believe that it was 5 months ago that the Clipper fleet left Hull and the Humber, and it was with some emotion that I watched the boats leave this morning, knowing it will be another 5 months before they finish the race back in Hull in July.

“It is great to see the camaraderie of the crews, despite the fierce competition on the water. And in a similar way I am delighted at how the Clipper Race has also brought together the boats’ sponsors, demonstrated here in Qingdao with delegations from Cape Breton Island and Hull & Humber.

“In the same way as the race unites crew members from so many different countries and cultures, we have been brought together by Clipper to discover common interests in trade, education and culture.”

One of the delegates on the trade mission was Dominic Collins, head of buying and new business development at Humber based Coldwater Seafood, part of the Icelandic Group – a leading supplier to the UK retail sector serving such companies as Marks & Spencer, Asda, Tesco and Morrisons. They have been sourcing fish from seafood suppliers in the Qingdao region for nearly ten years.

Mr Collins commented: “It’s been great to get out to Qingdao and meet existing suppliers as well as potential new ones. We’ve also met with seafood companies with the Cape Breton delegation. We’re a global group and source fish from right around the world. We have a growing demand and our door is always open to potential new suppliers.

“We have had a number of opportunities which would otherwise not have happened without Yorkshire Forward’s engagement alongside the Clipper Race. It’s helped to bring everyone together and been a real focal point for all the activities in Qingdao over the last week. It’s certainly helped us generate some interest in the Icelandic Group and from our supplier base.

“We’ve also made some excellent new contacts; we’re all about building relationships that last a number of years and we’ve found some suppliers we can definitely work with going forward, as well as strengthening existing relationships. I think this visit is going to be very fruitful for us without a doubt.”

During the trade mission the Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce facilitated one to one meetings for delegates organised through their counterparts in Qingdao at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).

In addition, a dinner was hosted to showcase seafood supplied by Coldwater and Pork, reared in China from genetic s supplied by East Yorkshire based ACMC Beeford, in a joint venture with Chinese company ‘Double Pigeon’.

The Lord Mayor concluded with an invitation to come to Hull and the Humber for the race finish: “Although my term of office will come to an end in May, I extend an invitation to you all to join us in Hull for the end of the Clipper Race on July 17th.

“I am confident that the end of the race will be just the beginning of a long and lasting friendship between Hull and the Humber, Qingdao and Cape Breton Island. As port regions the miles may separate us, but the sea will always unite us.”

More information

Press contact for more information - Jonathan Levy: mobile 07813 948385
Laura Scholey, Press Manager at Yorkshire Forward on 0113 3949540 or email laura.scholey@yorkshire-forward.com

Yorkshire Forward is the regional development agency for the Yorkshire & Humber region of the UK. There are nine such agencies in England, and each is tasked with improving the economy in its own particular region. Yorkshire Forward is funded by central government and also receives funding from the EU. Essentially, its goal is to make Yorkshire & Humber a better place to live, work and invest, and to ensure that the region is able to compete on the domestic and global stage.

Trade Mission Delegates:

CiTECH Energy recovery
Chaucer Foods
Coldwater Seafood
Icelandic UK
Exchange Mobile
Iconic Interiors
Walker Morris
Welcome to Yorkshire

Qingdao Municipal Overseas Investment and Promotion Bureau

Qingdao Municipal Overseas Investment and Promotion BureauQingdao Municipal Overseas Investment Promotion Bureau is a professional organization established on a brand new regime to strengthen the ability of supporting Multinational corporations investing in Qingdao, with the approval of Qingdao Municipal Government. The missions mainly cover the recommendation and promotion for the municipal key projects, industry cluster projects, high-tech projects and invisible trade projects as well as the full process service during investment promotion. The main responsibilities include: providing policy and investment environment information of Qingdao; helping investors choose proper investment modes and sites; assisting the design the proper scheme of investment and financing, etc. www.qingdao-invest.gov.cn

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) is a Federal Crown Corporation established pursuant to Part II of the Government Organization Act, Atlantic Canada 1987 with a jurisdictional mandate that includes all of Cape Breton Island, Canada. The Corporation is charged with the responsibility for promoting and assisting the financing and development of industry in the region, proving employment and broadening the base of the local economy. it has a wide mandate to foster business growth and it is responsible for the delivery of the economic development programs of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in Cape Breton. www.ecbc.ca

Trade Mission Delegates:

Clearwater Seafoods
MacLeod Resources
Eric King’s Fisheries
Codroy Seafoods
Harbour Seafoods
Allen’s Fisheries
Governor’s Restaurant
Cape Breton University
World Trade Centre Atlantic Canada
Taste of Nova Scotia