Leading shipping figures have outlined the key strengths of London — and the challenges it faces — as it seeks to maintain its global presence in the maritime sector.

Owners, brokers, bankers, lawyers, managers and insurers came together for law firm HFW's symposium covering the "lifecycle of the vessel" on Tuesday morning.

Roger Hargreaves, maritime director at the UK Department for Transport, began the session by pledging that the government would always fully back the City in ensuring that it did not lose discretionary business elsewhere.