13 Mar PHC HOLD STAKEHOLDERS ANNUAL OPEN EVENING 2025
We were delighted to host our 2025 Annual Stakeholders Open Evening on 12 March, providing a valuable opportunity to engage with stakeholders and the local community. The event served as a platform to share updates on key projects, outline future ambitions, and hear from an inspirational guest speaker.
With a full audience nearing 200 attendees, PHC had the pleasure of welcoming local Vendée Globe competitor Pip Hare. Pip captivated the audience with her remarkable insights into the Vendée Globe race, sharing details of the gruelling but also exhilirating challenge, including the devastating demasting incident and her remarkable resilience in overcoming such adversity. PHC were also thrilled to announce the continuation of their support for Pip for another four years as she prepares for the 2028 Vendée Globe. Pip remains a true inspiration, leading the only international IMOCA team operating outside of France.
PHC’s CEO, Captain Brian Murphy, took the opportunity to highlight key priorities, activities, and innovations introduced over the past year. Among the notable developments was confirmation that Brittany Ferries/Condor Ferries will continue to provide a vital high-speed service from Poole to Guernsey and onward to St Malo and a new operator, DFDS, will now be providing the vital high-speed service from Poole to Jersey.
Additionally, innovations within the Poole VTS team, the launch of a new online customer portal, and updates on the future plans for the Marine Centre Regeneration Project were shared. The evening also celebrated the outstanding achievements of PHC’s award-winning marinas, which once again secured the prestigious Marina of the Year award for the fifth time since 2014. Poole Quay Boat Haven and Port of Poole Marina remain the only marinas in the UK to hold all three of The Yacht Harbour Association (TYHA ) certifications: 5 Gold Anchors, Superyacht Ready, and Clean Marina.
Sustainability remained a central focus of the event, with PHC officially launching the new Decarbonisation Plan for the Port of Poole Maritime Industrial Cluster, which includes PHC and our tenants on the Port Estate. The Plan, available here, sets out a comprehensive roadmap for reducing emissions across the port estate. It aims to achieve a 40% reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 and 100% reduction by 2050 through a range of initiatives spanning governance and monitoring, port operations, buildings, and vessels. The event also showcased key sustainability initiatives already in progress. These include the ongoing and planned installation of solar PV across PHC’s buildings, the recent introduction of an electric van, LED lighting upgrades, saltmarsh protection efforts, and the plans to reinstate the Port Rail Link. This will facilitate modal shift from road to rail with associated emissions and congestion benefits with the first train expected to transport cargo from the port in early 2026. PHC’s CEO also outlined key ambitions for the Port of Poole’s rail link expansion which will include developing the necessary infrastructure for additional dedicated cargo and freight handling facilities at the port.
The 2025 Annual Stakeholders Open Evening was a great success once again and provided a valuable opportunity to highlight PHC’s ongoing work in innovation, sustainability, and operational excellence, reaffirming its role as a key organisation within the community.