Welcome from the Chief Executive
I am pleased to share the positive progress made by the Shoreham Port team in 2025 which marks our 265th year as a Trust Port.
Our purpose remains to ‘improve our Trust Port for everyone’, in a way that is sustainable and aligned with our values as trusted custodians for future generations.
This review shares the difference we made in 2025, our 265th year as a Trust Port. Our purpose remains to ‘improve our Trust Port for everyone’, in a way that is sustainable and aligned with our values as trusted custodians for future generations.
We are very proud of our teams achievements during the year; we achieved zero reportable colleague accidents, a fifth year of record-breaking revenue growth, reduced our direct carbon emissions by a further 4.98% and were recognised through the prestigious European Sea Ports Organisation award for exceptional commitment to community engagement and social responsibility.
Our outlook for the next twelve months is cautious, linked to ongoing economic instability.
Sustained diversification efforts continue to provide resilience against the construction sector linked challenges to our core business. We remain confident that our strong customer and supplier relationships, combined with our outstanding team of colleagues, places us in a positive position to maximise opportunities when they arise.
Our values will continue to provide guidance and are at the core of all that we do.
We would like to thank all colleagues once again for their hard work and our stakeholders for their ongoing engagement during another year of rapid progress at Shoreham Port.
As a Trust Port, our continued success is linked to how we engage, and importantly, listen to a wide range of valued stakeholders. Please continue to get in touch with your views and suggestions by contacting us, attending events or via social media channels.
Improving our Trust Port for everyone
- All home safe and well daily
- Economic impact will increase through maximising cargo, fishing, leisure, and specialist project capacity
- Enhancing profitability will enable ongoing investments in people, infrastructure, and new services
- Cargo volume will grow through collaborative partnerships and efficient discharge, storage, and logistics services
- Property development and acquisition will enable expansion of our thriving business community
- We will encourage engagement from all stakeholders across communities, education, and charities
- Our values will guide us to be an inclusive, modern, and diverse employer
- We will achieve Net Zero (Scope 1 & 2) by 2035 while being a catalyst for decarbonisation across our ecosystem (Scope 3)
Shoreham Port’s Master Plan continues to be led by the commitment to get everyone home safe and well daily. During 2025 the Port’s safety management within the Operations function has been recognised through achieving certification to ISO 45001.
This year’s performance reflects a deep-rooted commitment to protecting the health and safety of its colleagues through clear, effective processes, forward thinking collaboration and providing pipelines for safety professionals in the maritime sector.
Industry recognition
The Port’s safety strategy yielded three significant milestones this year, marking a shift toward a continually improving and resilient safety culture.
The Port maintained an exemplary safety record with zero RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) reportable incidents throughout 2025. In a high-risk industrial environment involving heavy machinery, HGV logistics, and timber handling, this achievement is a testament to the vigilance of the entire workforce and the efficacy of current risk-mitigation strategies.
In a landmark move for the Port’s operational activities, Shoreham officially achieved ISO 45001 certification. This internationally recognised standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems serves as a global "stamp of approval." It demonstrates that the Port’s H&S frameworks are not merely internal preferences but meet rigorous, audited benchmarks for continual improvement and risk management.
Strengthening Team Capability:
The Port has invested in its internal expertise. A primary success was the Port’s Health and Safety Advisor achieving their NEBOSH General Certificate, further enhancing the Port's advisory capacity under the leadership of their Chartered Head of Health and Safety.
Additionally, the team has laid the groundwork for the future by putting plans in place to introduce a health and safety apprentice role, ensuring a sustainable pipeline of safety professionals within the maritime sector.
2025 Highlight: Research and Innovation
A standout highlight for the year was the Port’s collaborative research project with the University of Bath. Working alongside Professor Debbie Janson, Shoreham Port participated in critical research regarding risk perception and PPE usage across different age groups.
This partnership allowed the Port to move beyond traditional safety training by looking at the psychology of risk—understanding why different demographics interact with safety equipment and hazards in varying ways. This data-driven approach has provided invaluable insights that will shape how the Port communicates safety protocols to its diverse workforce, from seasoned veterans to new apprentices.
Looking Ahead: A Vision for Inclusive Safety
As Shoreham Port looks toward 2026, the focus shifts toward the "Inclusive Safety & Enhanced PPE" initiative. Recognising that the workforce is becoming increasingly diverse, the Port is refreshing its Personal Protective Equipment offering for colleagues.
Throughout 2025, our commercial teams demonstrated exceptional resilience and adaptability. We placed strong focus on building meaningful customer relationships across all sectors of the port, developing new business opportunities, and working closely with our key partners to navigate another challenging economic environment.
This collaborative approach enabled us to maximise opportunities across cargo, fishing, leisure, and project operations, together alongside our other activities across our port estate, helped us deliver record turnover for the fifth consecutive year - reaching £22.2 million, an 8.2% increase on 2024.
2025 saw strong tonnage handled for spot cargo market with new and return customers joining us at Shoreham. The experienced handling and efficient turnaround of cargoes by our Operations division enabled many spot cargoes to be handled at short notice whilst our customers reacted to changing markets and demand, resulting in strong tonnage throughout the year.
Fishersgate Marina
On Thursday, 30th January, key project contractors, maritime sector stakeholders, local authorities and port users gathered to officially open the refurbished Fishersgate marina, following the significant investment, offering fantastic facilities for fishers with vessels up to 15m in length. The scheme provided grants to projects aimed at strengthening the UK seafood supply chain, delivering social and economic benefits, and reducing the seafood industry’s environmental impact.
Engineering projects
Over the past year, we delivered key engineering projects to support the Port’s long-term resilience and performance. This included re-lining the Pump House delivery tubes to maintain reliable canal levels, commencing refurbishment of the spare Prince Philip Lock gates to safeguard our main entrance, and commissioning our first new material handler in 12 years. The new Mantsinen crane improves noise reduction and fuel efficiency. While some of these works may appear routine, they are essential to maintaining efficient operations, protecting revenue, and supporting quality employment.
The dry docking of J-Class Yacht Shamrock V was a standout moment of the year. Having such a historically significant and iconic vessel in the facility was a remarkable occasion, and one that was clearly valued by the vessel's team.
The primary focus for 2026 is energy generation, storage and charging infrastructure, as the Port works to electrify and decarbonise its fleets of forklifts and HGVs.
Property estate
In 2025, our Commercial Property team continued to build a vibrant, connected business community across the estate, nurturing thriving tenant relationships spanning a wide range of sectors. We were particularly proud that Maritime House was named Winner of the Best Customer Service Award at the 2025 Brighton and Hove Business Awards - a recognition that reflects the dedication of our team and the diverse, dynamic mix of businesses that make up such an important part of the Port's commercial landscape.
Our estate has grown into a lively commercial hub, encompassing everything from serviced offices to light-industrial units and larger open-plan workspaces, making it an attractive base for businesses at every stage of growth. With a friendly, proactive team on hand to support tenants and foster a genuine sense of community, the Port continues to offer a welcoming, high-quality environment for organisations of all sizes.
Statement of Financial Position For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
| Statement of Financial Position | 2024 (£000s) | 2023 (£000s) |
| Goodwill | 68 | 77 |
| Fixed Assets | 49,366 | 47,755 |
| Investment Properties | 31,246 | 31,209 |
| Current Assets | 5,923 | 7,247 |
| Creditors: Due Within 1 Year | (5,488) | (4,698) |
| Total Assets Less Current Liabilities | 81,114 | 81,589 |
| Creditors: Due After More Than 1 Year | (20,000) | (20,000) |
| Provisions for Liabilities | (5,163) | (5,028) |
| Defined Benefit Pension (Liability)/Surplus | (0) | (377) |
| Net Assets | 55,951 | 56,184 |
| Reserves | 55,951 | 56,184 |
Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
| Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income | 2024 (£000s) | 2023 (£000s) |
| Turnover | 20,517 | 19,582 |
| Cost of Sales | (10,871) | (10,492) |
| Gross Profit | 9,646 | 9,090 |
| Administrative Expenses | (8,169) | (7,561) |
| Other Operating Income | 1 | 47 |
| Operating Profit/(Loss) | 1,478 | 1,576 |
| Interest Receivable and Similar Income | 0.4 | 407 |
| Interest Payable and Similar Charges | (1,358) | (1,385) |
| Fair Value (loss)/gain on Investment Properties | (282) | (3,159) |
| Loss Before Taxation | (161) | (2,561) |
| Taxation | (195) | 408 |
| Loss for the Financial Year | (356) | (2,153) |
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow For the Year Ended 31 December 2024
| Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow | 2024 (£000s) | 2023 (£000s) |
| Cash Generated from Operations | 3,717 | 4,260 |
| Interest Paid | (1,343) | (1,385) |
| Income Taxes Paid | (318) | (423) |
| Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities | 2,056 | 2,452 |
| Net Cash Generated Used in Investing Activities | (3,749) | (1,896) |
| Net Cash Generated (Used In)/Generated From Financing Activities | - | (962) |
| Net (Decrease)/Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents | (1,693) | (406) |
| Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Year | 2,948 | 3,354 |
| Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Year | 1,255 | 2,948 |
Through our Open Doors value, we actively listen to a wide range of community stakeholders, building meaningful relationships and creating positive local impact. We played a thriving role in our community throughout the year, supporting local causes with £24,000 in direct donations and £85,000 in kind contributions as well as engaging through strategic partnerships, educational activities and multiple stakeholder events.
Community Engagement & Education
In 2025, we delivered a series of talks and tours for schools, colleges, universities, and members of the public, providing opportunities for the community to engage with what is happening at the Port and for young people to interact with the Port through these events. As a Trust Port, we are committed to finding new ways to engage future generations and look forward to the possibilities in 2026.
We also have colleagues continuing to mentor Year 10 girls at Shoreham Academy through The Girls’ Network, helping them explore future career opportunities.
Community Projects & Partnerships
As part of the Friends of Southwick Station Community Garden, we were awarded a National Lottery Community Fund grant in December.
Funding will support installation of an accessible path, completion of planting, creation of a pond, additional planters for local charities to grow produce, and a larger seating area for community use.
A few key highlights …
Historical talk
In March, we hosted a historical talk by maritime expert and author Brian Lavery about shipbuilding in Shoreham in the 1690s. This talk included subjects like the great value of Sussex timber for shipbuilding, the difficulties in getting ships in and out of the Port at the time, and the escape of King Charles II from Shoreham in 1651.
Annual Public Meeting
We discussed with stakeholders about key developments and performance, including new projects like Southwick Reef, decarbonisation, growing our tenant community, and supporting local charities. We value all the questions that were asked, as the community's feedback plays an important role in our decisions.
Co-create session
In July, as part of Sustainability week, we ran a marine biodiversity workshop with Artecology and City Arts Portsmouth for Year 5 pupils at Eastbrook Primary Academy. Children created clay miniature underwater habitats, which were added to our vertipools at Southwick Reef.
Galeón Andalucía
In September, we were thrilled to welcome the Galeón Andalucía to Shoreham Port. As a Trust Port, our role is to provide the setting for experiences such as these. We collaborated with the Galeón Andalucía’s management team, who organised and delivered the tours, and together we created a truly memorable moment for our community.
Looking Ahead
We will continue strengthening relationships with our existing CSR partners as well as exploring new opportunities to collaborate with other local charities.
We also have our Public Meeting on the 9th June, where we look forward to engaging with the community.
Alongside developing our physical estate, we remained committed to nurturing our workplace culture in 2025.
In the fifth year of embedding our award-winning values, these continued to guide all aspects of our approach. Following significant growth in recent years, our team increased slightly this year, from 213 (???) to 220 (???) colleagues.
Maintaining an inclusive workplace
In 2025, we continued support of our investment in our inclusive culture through targeted initiatives that support underrepresented groups and address hidden challenges in the workplace. These included signing the Menopause Workplace Pledge, delivering menopause awareness training for managers, and providing LGBTQ+ inclusion training across the Port. To strengthen our approach to mental health, we increased the number of trained Mental Health First Aiders and formed a new partnership with Andy’s Man Club.
Apprenticeships
Building on our success at the Adur & Worthing Business Awards in 2024, we welcomed our biggest ever apprentice intake in September 2025. We were delighted to be able to offer apprentice opportunities across a range of teams including Finance, People, HGV, our Workshop, Engineering and a Marine Cadet all of whom help us build and develop our skills for the future.
From the Spring onwards, we were proud to share in the success of our first cohort of apprentices who are now passing their exams and taking the next steps in their career with us.
In addition to academic success, Megan Blundell (Sustainability Data Technician Apprentice) received industry recognition for her presentation on a Safer Tomorrow at the Ports Skills & Safety Awards. The presentation focused on the future of ports, including how they become faster, smarter and safer through improvements in sustainability, technology and wellbeing.
ESPO Awards
We were proud to receive the ESPO Award 2025, recognising our commitment to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace for women, promoting greater gender balance across the port sector. Our Diversity & Inclusion Strategy, launched in 2020, has transformed how we work. Embedding inclusive values into our culture, governance, and business planning. We’re proud to be setting a national benchmark for equality in maritime.
Insert Georgia quote here
Gender Pay Report
Our long-term commitment to improving our own gender pay gap continued into 2025 the females we employed being in the higher pay brackets. This has resulted in a positive impact on the mean pay calculation for females in relation to the mean hourly rate of pay being £18.86 per hour.
Sustainability sits at the heart of everything we do at Shoreham Port, from industry recognition to grassroots engagement and everyday operational improvements.
For the 13th consecutive year, we were recertified as an EcoPort, reaffirming our commitment to best practice across the industry.
We continued to make practical changes across our operations, including a switch to refillable cleaning products estate-wide, from sprays to soaps, as part of our ongoing drive to cut waste and increase recycling.
Sustainability in action
Construction of Southwick Reef began in October on the lowest astronomical tide of the year, with help from our friends at Mackleys to lower the 1 and 5.5 ton Reef Cubes onto the beach, integrating these amongst existing sea defences. With works ongoing throughout Autumn and Winter to install vertipools and habitat panels along the breakwater arm, the instillation is set to be a great success for both societal engagement and biodiversity alike.
Our efforts to decarbonise continue, with our vehicle fleet now fully electric and continued efforts to integrate EV technology across our operations spanning land and water, with the addition of our second EV workboat, the aptly named Electra. Enabling our Marine Team to conduct their daily canal patrol, emptying seabins and removing any litter from the water, this operation can now be done without emissions and with considerably less noise.
Sustainability Week 2025
Decarbonisation plan
Following a year-long collaborative process, we launched the Local Industrial Decarbonisation Plan, setting out a clear pathway to becoming a zero-carbon hub for trade and employment. Developed with partners and stakeholders, the plan highlights how the Port can drive sustainable growth, with initiatives such as Berth Zero supporting practical decarbonisation across the cluster.
Join us this June!!
You can explore more at Sustainability Week 2025 between 22nd - 26th June 2026, where we’ll host free talks, workshops and tours focused on how ports, charities and businesses are pursuing a greener future.
Visit our events page to book your tickets.
