Falmouth Harbour Shortlisted for Two British Ports Association Awards

Published On: 9 October 2025Last Updated: 9 October 2025By CornishStuff

Falmouth Harbour has been shortlisted for two major honours at the 2025 British Ports Association (BPA) Awards, recognising its ongoing commitment to sustainability and excellence across the maritime sector.

Leading the Way in Sustainable Port Operations

The harbour is in the running for both the Port Sustainability Award 2025 and the SME Port of the Year Award 2025. The BPA Awards celebrate outstanding leadership and performance among 408 UK ports, which together handle 86% of all national port traffic.

Over the past year, Falmouth Harbour has marked a series of significant achievements, including the arrival of its £1.6 million pilot boat, Atlantic, one of the Trust Port’s largest investments in nearly two decades. The new vessel, along with other workboats across the fleet, now runs on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) — a renewable, low-emission fuel.

Chief Executive Miles Carden said:

“To be shortlisted in not one but two categories is already a massive achievement of which we are all really proud. We’ve been recognised as a leading small harbour in terms of modernising operations, driving innovation and making adaptions to address environmental challenges.

“We work hard to do incredible things with very limited resources in very challenging financial circumstance, both as an organisation and the markets we work in. My thanks for everyone in my team at Falmouth Harbour and all the fantastic external partners we work with – I am so pleased that this hard work by so many is recognised.”

📷Aerial of yachts - Shark Bay for Falmouth Harbour

Innovation on and off the Water

The harbour’s FaBTest site in Falmouth Bay continues to play a crucial role in testing renewable energy technologies, with two recent demonstrator projects successfully completed.

Beyond innovation, the team has worked with partners to host major international, national and local events designed to bring economic and social benefits to the wider community. These have included the Richard Mille Cup and Falmouth Classics, one of the largest classic regattas in the UK.

Falmouth Harbour has also created a protected swimming and watersports area off Gyllyngvase Beach, restricting larger powered vessels to ensure safety for swimmers and paddleboarders.

📷FaBTest Demonstrator with coast-speed boat

Protecting Cornwall’s Marine Environment

The harbour’s environmental work, led by Environment Manager Vicki Spooner, spans multiple collaborations. These include protecting 30 hectares of seagrass with the Ocean Conservation Trust, improving habitats with national and local partners, tackling microfibre pollution with Cleaner Seas, and installing electric vessel charging facilities alongside Aqua Super Power.

Vicki said:

“It’s a real boost for our Harbour teams to be nominated in these awards and it really helps amplify what we have achieved in partnership with so many other organisations and our local community.

“It also helps generate more of the opportunities and conversations necessary to do the essential work to reduce our combined environmental impacts and restore our natural environment.”

📷Falmouth Harbour from Pendennis Point - Shark Bay

Recognition at the National Level

British Ports says each finalist has been recognised for their exceptional contributions to the UK maritime industry. The overall winners will be announced at the BPA Conference Dinner on 16th October 2025.

Falmouth Harbour operates across an area stretching from Black Head to the Dodman, covering Falmouth Bay, the Carrick Roads and the River Fal. It also provides pilotage services to APCL group for Falmouth Docks, and to Cornwall Council’s Cornwall Harbours for the ports of Penryn and Truro.

For more information about Falmouth Harbour’s work, visit www.falmouthharbour.co.uk or call 01326 213537.