Falmouth Harbour Holds First Public Open Day at Grove Place

Most people who pass through Falmouth Harbour have no idea what actually goes on behind the scenes. That changed when more than 100 people turned up for the Trust Port’s first ever public open day at Grove Place Boat Park.

📷The Open Day began with a business breakfast: Falmouth Harbour Commissioner Andy Wright with Falmouth & Truro MP Jayne Kirkham and Chair of Commissioners Nigel Tipple. - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

A Busy Year on the Water

The event came as Falmouth Harbour published its Annual Report for 2025 and year end accounts, capping off a year that saw it named SME Port of the Year 2025 by the British Ports Association.

Falmouth Harbour’s jurisdiction covers 65 square miles and includes 600 moorings, a visitors’ marina, a pilotage service running 1,000 movements a year, and a cruise ship destination. The Trust Port is also restoring sea grass meadows and testing marine renewables at its FaBTest site in Falmouth Bay.

CEO Miles Carden said: “It’s been fantastic on this sunny day to welcome in so many local businesses and members of the community who are interested in the workings of our amazing Harbour. We cover such a wide range of activity and it’s great for all of us to get the chance to talk about what we do. It’s also a good opportunity to hear people’s ideas: as a Trust Port we have a duty to operate successfully and sustainably for the benefit of everybody.”

📷Alex Whatley, Reef Float, Miles Carden, CEO Falmouth Harbour and Lt Cdr Trevor Brookes, Resident Naval Officer. - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

The Pilot Boat Everyone Wanted to See

Guided tours of the pilot boat Atlantic were booked up well in advance, with more than 50 people signing up. The £1.6 million vessel runs on renewable HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) and is one of the cleanest, safest and most fuel-efficient pilot boats in the UK. The pilotage operates 24/7, 365 days a year.

Marine collaborators also joined the day, including Reef Float, whose prototype all-concrete pontoon float is being tested at the Visitors’ Marina. It’s the first step in removing all Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) floats from the Harbour’s leisure and commercial operations.

📷Alex Whatley, Reef Float and David Nicoll, RNLI - with a broken polystyrene-filled traditional marina float. Reef Float’s prototype all-concrete float is being successfully trialled at the Visitors’ Marina - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

Record Numbers of Cruise Passengers

2025 was a strong year for the leisure side too. The team at Falmouth Haven welcomed more than 800 visitors to the Harbour facilities, delivered 293,000 litres of fuel, and looked after 850 seasonal customers across the moorings, marina and boat park.

Cruise operations hit record levels with 42 visits bringing around 55,000 passengers to Falmouth, the most diverse mix of vessels the Harbour has ever hosted. That number is set to climb again in 2026, with up to 50 visits expected.

📷Emma-Jane Wood, FH Head of People and Corporate Services, Sam Winters, Cornwall Marine Network and Chris Tofts, Stephens Scown LLP - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

Cornwall’s Role in Offshore Renewables

Renewable energy featured throughout the year. In July, Crondall Energy deployed a floating offshore renewable demonstrator at the FaBTest site in Falmouth Bay. The project was built locally at A&P Falmouth Docks.

The open day went well enough that Falmouth Harbour is already planning a bigger, longer event for 2027. More information about the Trust Port and its operations is available at falmouthharbour.co.uk.

📷Natasha Collings-Costello, Falmouth Harbour Commissioner and Philippa Hoskin, Cornwall Council - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Ned Bailey, fisherman and Tristan Rowe, FH Head of Commercial Operations - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Ivelina White, Coodes Solicitors, Anne Carson, Super Yachts Services Falmouth, Alex Whatley, Reef Float, Steph Marsh and Kirsty Davey, Coodes - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Drystan Jones, A&P Falmouth, Neil Salter, MD Mylor Yacht Harbour and Angela Harvey, FH Head of Finance Open Day 2026-8 - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Philippa Hoskin, Cornwall Council and Natasha Collings-Costello, Falmouth Harbour Commissioner - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Daniel Tregaskes, Pendennis Shipyard and Luke Wills, Dock Master A&P Falmouth - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Dave Owens, Falmouth Harbour Users Group and Ned Bailey, fisherman - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Kay Penney, Falmouth Harbour Commissioner and Sue Cocks, FH Leisure Coordinator - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour

📷Falmouth Harbour’s fleet of workboats runs on renewable HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil). More than 50 people signed up to guided tours of the state-of-the-art pilot boat Atlantic. - Photo Credit: Falmouth Harbour