This week there is good news and bad news as the saying goes for staff employed by two of the world’s largest shipping lines. Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) are upping staff levels at their Liverpool operation and have taken extra space to accommodate them. … Whilst this brings the staff levels of NYK to around thirty in its city offices and has been met with enthusiasm by the city’s commercial interests, competitors Maersk Line are taking criticism for allegedly not living up to promises made after they it was reported they had received an initial payment of £50,000 from the North West Regional Development Agency to increase their own presence in Liverpool. Originally the company were promised around £200,000 in grants to employ around seventy more people at their 100, Old Hall Street offices, bringing the total staff there to circa 180. According to Maersk they have fulfilled their commitment and created over fifty new roles in the city in the past year but reports in the local press say the company is now to reduce its Liverpool workforce by almost 30%.
