The British Ports Association has published an early blueprint of the main speaker programme for its 2025 Annual Conference, which will return to the Humber in October, for the first time in over a decade.
The two-day programme will feature a varied mix of panel sessions, presentations, and fireside conversations, spanning port development, automation and innovation; sustainability; electrification and offshore wind energy, safety, and the role of ports in times of growing tension and conflict. Delegates will also hear key political, market and legal updates, as well as ‘deep-dive’ talks on preserving heritage and delivering effective port modernisation programmes.
Speakers at BPA 2025 will include a diverse line-up of port operators, government and specialist advisors, alongside some leading supply-chain businesses. Panel chairs will also invite questions and contributions from delegates, with around 350 industry professionals expected to attend the event at the 4* Forest Pines Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, near Hull.
The conference will be formally opened on Wednesday 15th October by Doug Bannister, Chief Executive of the Port of Dover and Chair of the British Ports Association. Mr Bannister will be joined by Martyn Boyers, CEO of Port of Grimsby East and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises and Andrew Dawes, Humber Regional Director for Associated British Ports who are joint hosts for the 2025 BPA Conference.
Day two of the conference opens with a keynote talk by former national newspaper editor-turned-PR guru, David Yelland. Educated at Brigg Grammar School, just a stones’ throw from the conference venue, Yelland was once a speech writer for Rupert Murdoch and a regular ‘sparring partner’ with former Daily Mirror editor, Piers Morgan. He is currently one half of the popular BBC Radio 4 podcast series When It Hits the Fan, a life patron of the NSPCC and a trustee of national charity, Action on Addiction.
An outline programme of confirmed sessions and speakers can be viewed on the conference website – BPA2025.com/Programme – with more to be added over the coming weeks. Confirmed speakers from ports across the UK, include:-
- Bob Sanguinetti, CEO; Port of Aberdeen
- Tim Morris, Head of Communications; Associated British Ports
- Tim Reardon, Company Secretary; Port of Dover Harbour Board
- Miles Carden, Chief Executive, Falmouth Harbour
- Pamela Neri, Commercial Manager, Fraserburgh Harbour
- Sarah West, CEO, Harwich Haven Authority
- Colin Monk, CEO, Littlehampton Harbour
- Tom Sawyer, CEO, Port of Milford Haven
- Mark Stoner, Finance Director, Port of Tyne
Private sector speakers, already confirmed for BPA 2025, include:-
- Frans Baartmans, Projects and Engineering Manager; ABB
- Lara Moore, Partner; Ashfords LLP
- David Browne, Director – Corporate and Social Affairs; Maersk
- Iain Sinclair, Executive Director; Global Energy Group and Chair of the Scottish Offshore Wind Ports Alliance (SOWPA)
- Stephen Taylor, Director and co-founder; Port Centric Logistics Partners (PCLP)
- Harry Palmer, Risk Assessment Manager; TT Club
Additional, confirmed speakers include:-
- Rhona Macdonald, Senior Sustainability Advisor; British Ports Association
- Lucy Parsons, Ports and Investment specialist; Department for Business and Trade
- David Gwynne, Director; National Wealth Fund
- Debbie Cavaldoro, CEO; Port Skills and Safety
- Kevin Robinson, Fishing Port Safety Manager; Port Skills and Safety
Richard Ballantyne OBE, chief executive of the British Ports Association said;
“It is always both a privilege and an exciting challenge to put together the speaker programme for our annual conference and this year has been no different. We have tried to include expert speakers who are happy to challenge existing thinking on topics such as energy transition and sustainability, through to safety and international trade, as well as those at the forefront of vital projects happening across UK ports and globally.”
Jointly hosted by Associated British Ports (ABP) and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, the two day conference and exhibition will take place on the 15th -16th October, 2025.
In addition to the conference and exhibition, delegates can take advantage of a lively social programme, which includes a pre-conference Welcome Reception (Tuesday 14th October), the chance to ‘Party Underwater’ at The Deep, Hull’s award-winning aquarium attraction (Wednesday 15th October) and the 2025 BPA Awards and Gala Dinner (Thursday 16th October) at Forest Pines Hotel.
Delegate tickets are expected to sell out, as they have for the past two years, so early registration is strongly advised. Organisations interested in finding out more about the 2025 British Ports Association Annual Conference and Exhibition can visit www.bpa2025.com or email the event management team at Freshwater on BPAconference@freshwater.co.uk