Canadian trade corridor on agenda for next clipper stop

14/06/2010

Hull & Humber clinches pole position into Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada

Hull & Humber has clinched a great victory in the latest stage of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race by securing pole position into Cape Breton Island on Atlantic Canada’s north eastern coastline.

The yacht’s performance raises the profile of the region even higher as a significant trade delegation from the Humber prepares to fly out to Nova Scotia for a week of business meetings, presentations and events alongside the Clipper Race.

The delegation is being led by a Humber Partnership and coordinated on their behalf by Hull & Humber Chamber of Commerce. It is seeking to build upon the growing relationship being developed, especially in the seafood sector, between the Humber and Cape Breton Island.

The opportunity has been created by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward which has supported an entry in the last two Clipper Races to raise the profile of the region on a world stage, and to boost trade and tourism. The agency also secured major events to host the Clipper fleet in 2007, the race start last September and the forthcoming race finish on 17th July.

Sarah Pearson, assistant director of Humber at Yorkshire Forward said: “There is already a solid foundation of trade upon which we can build. This delegation to Halifax (capital of Nova Scotia) and Cape Breton Island aims to grow tangible business and to explore establishing a trade corridor between Cape Breton and the Humber.”

On Thursday 17 June a special Seafood Conference will be held in Sydney, Cape Breton, to examine the Canadian and UK markets, respective logistics and regulations, leading to a closing session dedicated to the potential of developing a Canada – UK / Cape Breton – Humber Trade Corridor.

In February this year Yorkshire Forward secured a rare tripartite trade collaboration relationship with counterpart agencies in Qingdao and Cape Breton during the Clipper stopover in China.

Both Cape Breton and Qingdao intend to send delegations to the race finish in Hull and the Humber on 17 July.