King to go on working visit to Liverpool – programme

The main focus of the visit will be Dutch-British cooperation on the use of innovative technologies in the maritime manufacturing industry and the aerospace sector. Attention will also be paid to strengthening defence and security cooperation, and local initiatives that foster social cohesion in neighbourhoods.

The Netherlands and the United Kingdom are North Sea neighbours and allies with deeply rooted ties. Both countries are maritime trading nations with open, export-oriented economies and are committed to multilateral security cooperation. They also share similar strategies in the fields of innovation, defence and industry.

Morning

Visit to Balaena Birkenhead shipyard

The working visit to Liverpool will start with a visit to Balaena Birkenhead shipyard. Located on the River Mersey, the shipyard builds modular components for naval frigates and submarines. It also builds civilian vessels such as ferries and research ships. The King will give a short speech and will then speak with representatives of British and Dutch maritime companies in the construction hall. During a tour of the site the King will hear about the shipbuilding, renovation and maintenance being done there. The King will then go on to the Engineering College in Birkenhead, where he will speak with students who are training for jobs in, for instance, welding, pipefitting and rigging. Practical experience at the shipyard is part of the students’ training. 

Sustainable aviation

The King’s visit to the University of Liverpool will focus on sustainable aviation and Dutch-British efforts to achieve a zero-emission aviation corridor between the two countries. Infrastructure minister Karremans and his British counterpart will sign a joint statement on this shared ambition. The King will attend the signing of this statement and then go on a brief tour to see the innovative research being done into, for instance, circular batteries as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based kerosene, electric passenger aircraft and charging stations for aviation. Finally, the King will visit Atomik AM, a university spinoff that develops sustainable binders for manufacturing components for the aviation and automotive industries.  

Afternoon

Working lunch

There will be a working lunch at a pub in Liverpool city centre with Mayor Steve Rotheram of the Liverpool City Region and representatives of different parts of the region’s social fabric. The theme of the lunch is ‘Liverpool: economic cooperation, culture and sports’. 

Ryan Gravenberch Cruyff Court and Anfield Sports & Community Centre

After the working lunch the King will visit the Cruyff Court opened by Ryan Gravenberch and the adjacent Anfield Sports & Community Centre. Supported by the Liverpool Football Club (LFC) Foundation, the sports and community centre runs programmes aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and increasing job opportunities for Anfield residents. The Cruyff Court is also used for walking football – a low-injury variant of the game that promotes fitness among older people. The participants, many of whom used to work in the aviation and maritime industries, will tell the King about their lives in Liverpool over the years. Representatives of the Johan Cruyff Foundation will talk about the positive effects of the sports fields on the physical and social development of residents of different neighbourhoods in Liverpool.

Staff and visitors of the community centre will tell the King about the various programmes offered. He will also look in on some of the activities, including a sports session, a digital skills class aimed at improving participants’ chances of finding work, mathematics and technology lessons for primary and secondary school pupils, and a football session for refugees and people with disabilities. 

British music culture

The King will visit the British Music Experience, a museum about the history of British popular music and the importance of the music scene for Liverpool and the wider region. The museum presents the story of British artists and bands, including the Beatles, Queen, the Spice Girls and Dusty Springfield, through their costumes, instruments and mementos from their shows. 

Defence cooperation

The Dutch naval vessel HNLMS Johan de Witt is moored at the Liverpool Cruise Terminal. On the vehicle deck a demonstration will be given of various types of unmanned systems of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Afterwards, defence minister Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius and her British counterpart, defence secretary Wes Streeting, will give speeches in the hangar. 

This will be followed by the signing of a partnership document on British‑Dutch defence cooperation. Dutch companies will then talk about the development and potential applications of photonic sensors, automated systems for the maritime sector and autonomous flight systems. British companies will also be present.

Evening

Reception in the Town Hall

The visit to Liverpool will conclude with a reception in the Town Hall for the participants in the trade mission and for partners from the Liverpool region. The King will give a speech at the reception. 

RVD, nr.263