We were proud to welcome the new Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation, Keir Mather MP, to Harwich, alongside his team, including the Department for Transport’s Maritime Director. This visit reinforced our commitment to collaboration and lobbying for Haven users at the highest level.
Our customer relationships remained a top priority. We visited all our shipping line customers, conducted a comprehensive satisfaction survey, and – most importantly – acted on the feedback received. Delivering exceptional customer service continues to be central to everything we do. 100% of all customers surveyed said engagement improved in 2025, which we are very proud of.
Our stakeholder engagement groups continued to thrive, with liaison meetings across leisure, pilotage, agents and towage sectors. We invested in a new platform to track interactions and ensure we are speaking and listening to all of our stakeholders no matter what their influence or impact. We also trialled a new approach to distributing our popular tide tables and leisure guides, hosting ‘pick-up’ events at local marinas to reduce costs and create engagement opportunities.
For our people, 2025 brought a proud moment: winning the Inclusive Workplace of the Year award from the British Ports Association. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to diversity, inclusion and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.
Our Apprenticeship Levy was fully utilised for the first time since its introduction, supporting future talent and addressing skills gaps. Two new cohorts joined us this year, and all are progressing well – cementing our reputation for an industry-leading apprenticeship scheme.
The results of our 2025 employee survey reaffirmed what we value most: an engaged workforce proud to work for HHA.
Leadership development remained a key focus. Both Executive and Management teams participated in coaching programmes designed to strengthen relationships, enhance communication and build trust. Following the success of our 2025 management development programme, preparations are already underway for a new cohort in 2026.
Internally, our new values have been successfully embedded across systems and policies. The next phase of our Employer Branding project is underway, with managers agreeing on the strapline: “Where work means more”. This will shape our Employer Value Proposition and brand identity.
Operationally, the launch of the FE4 service in July was a highlight, marked by the arrival of the HMM Southampton and ONE Intelligence. This milestone attracted TV coverage, local media attention and significant social engagement – raising the profile of the Authority and showcasing our deep channel and pilotage expertise.
I’ll finish with a short testimonial received this year which demonstrates the impact we are starting to see in this area. In the recent PMSC audit, the following comment was made by the auditor:
“Harwich Haven Authority’s delivery of ‘stakeholder engagement and consultation’ as required by the Code, is considered by the ABPmer audit team, to be a best practice example for the ports industry.”
