The United Kingdom Major Ports Group Ltd (UKMPG) was formed in 1993 and is the trade association representing most of the larger commercial ports in the United Kingdom. It has nine members who, between them, own and operate over 40 ports, accounting for more than 70% of the total tonnage handled in UK ports. Current members are Associated British Ports, Belfast Harbour Commissioners, the Bristol Port Company, DP World London Gateway, Forth Ports, Hutchison Ports UK, PD Ports, Peel Ports and the Port of London Authority.
UKMPG represents the interests and concerns of its members to policy makers and opinion formers in the UK and Europe, on those areas of Government or EU policy which affect the industry. It also provides forums for its members to share with other ports ideas and best practice on issues including the environment, port infrastructure and navigation.
UKMPG works very closely with the other ports sector trade association, the British Ports Association (BPA) and with the ports sector skills and safety organisation, Port Skills and Safety (PSS). The three organisations share offices, close to the offices of the UK Chamber of Shipping, allowing for a high degree of joint working on a range of issues.
UKMPG is an active member of ESPO, the European Sea Ports Organisation, and of Maritime UK, which represents the joint interests of the UK maritime industries. It also belongs to Freight by Water, a group organised by the Freight Transport Association to campaign for wider use of domestic water freight, and the Seabed User and Developer Group, which represents the interests of business sectors participating in sustainable development of the seabed around the UK.
Theresa Crossley
Executive Director, UK Major Ports Group
After joining the UK Civil Service in 1981, Theresa worked in a number of UK Government Departments, dealing with issues as diverse as access for the disabled, radioactive waste management, housing and marine environmental protection. She has experience in international multilateral negotiation and was for five years Head of the UK delegation to the Oslo and Paris Commission for the protection of the marine environment of the North East Atlantic. For 6 years she was Head of Shipping Policy in the UK Department for Transport, where she was responsible for the whole range of maritime issues, including policy on seafarer training and employment, shipping safety and Search and Rescue. From 2010-2014 she was Head of the Safety and Standards Department at the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), where she was responsible for the Agency’s activities in the area of safety assessments and inspections, ship safety, marine environment, training and statistics. She has been in her current post since January 2015.