06
Nov 25

British Tugowners Association Annual Safety Seminar 2025

In person safety culture conference
Thursday 6th November 2025
In person safety culture conference
09:00 - 16:00
Member price: Free
Non member price: £200 + VAT
British Tugowners Association Annual Safety Seminar Supported by the UK Chamber of Shipping (logo) and BTA, Boluda Towage, Damen and Sanmar logos
Address:
Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour, SO15 1AG

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The BTA Annual Safety Seminar: Operational Safety in the Port Ecosystem will be held on Thursday 6 November 2025 in Southampton.

This event is currently sold out. However if you would like to join the waitlist or need to amend your attendance please contact either Joanne Mcghee or Robert Merrylees. 

The all day seminar, starting 0900, will be held at Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour, SO15 1AG with lunch and refreshments provided.

The Seminar will examine recent incidents, discuss accident prevention, and hear from tug experts, insurers, and investigators. With an audience of tug masters, pilots, marine superintendents, P&I clubs, lawyers, workboat crew, harbour masters and others, the aim is to inform, discuss and share best practice.

This years theme is Operational Safety in the Port Ecosystem and will focus on safe access, self mooring, manual handling and crew competency. 

The BTA is pleased to welcome the MAIB, Port Skills & Safety, Western Maritime Training & Polestar Publishing as confirmed speakers, and the Technical Committee is presently building the programme and agenda. Should members have specific areas they would like considered please contact Robert Merrylees, rmerrylees@ukchamberofshipping.com. 

All involved in harbour towage, pilotage and port operations are strongly encouraged to save the date. Tug crew and operational staff are particularly encouraged to attend.

Attendance is free for members of the BTA, UK Chamber, British Ports Association, Port Skills & Safety, UK Harbour Masters Association, UK Maritime Pilots Association, and Workboat Association along with invited guests. Non-members are welcome to join the day for £200.00 ex vat

Exhibition sponsorship opportunities exist and interested parties should contact Tony Jerome, tjerome@ukchamberofshipping.com for more details.

An informal private supper will be held the night before in Southampton for BTA members and invited guests. For those travelling up the day before and wish to join, please contact Robert Merrylees, rmerrylees@ukchamberofshipping.com. At attendees own expense.  

Accommodation - Suitable accommodation can be found by clicking here. 

The BTA is not arranging accommodation for attendees. A range of accommodation options can be booked using the hotelmap live link: https://HotelMap.com/MEQ55. Alternatively, attendees may make their own arrangements. 

Sponsors

The BTA would like to sincerely thank its kind sponsors, Boluda Towage, Damen Shipyards and Sanmar Shipyards.

 

Featured sponsors

Boluda

Boluda Towage

We are providing tailored towage services in the major global ports, always putting our customers’ needs first. And continue to lead them safely into the harbours.

After the incorporation into the Boluda Towage Division, we can benefit from the support of a ship-owner with a very strong maritime heritage. Boluda Corporación Marítima was established in 1837 and is a family-owned company. The company started its port tug activities in Valencia (Spain) in 1920.

Nowadays, Boluda Towage is one of the world’s leaders in maritime services. The company has a worldwide presence and operates a fleet of more than 400 vessels in 100 ports in 18 countries on 4 continents of Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. Next to port towage, we also provide offshore & ocean towage and salvage operations.
Sanmar Shipyard

Sanmar Shipyards

Sanmar has been producing tugboats and providing services for numerous countries around the world for four decades. The company celebrated its 40th year anniversary in 2016. More than 200 tugboats benefiting from all this wealth of experience are presently in operation on international seas. Sanmar builds vessels at its two custom-built, state-of-the-art yards located in Türkiye’s shipbuilding heartland. It delivered 17 tugboats in 2014 and thanks to the new shipyard in Altınova, 27 in 2015 and 26 in 2016.
Damen

Damen Shipyards

amen is a family owned business that stands for fellowship, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and stewardship. We believe that our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers offer humanity a growing range of possibilities in terms of trade, food, energy and recreation. We provide maritime solutions to meet these opportunities, through design, shipbuilding, ship repair and related services.

In the previous century, we revolutionised shipbuilding with standardisation and serial production. More than ninety years and 6,000 ships later, those pillars are unchanged. Their importance is only growing with the need for increased sustainability and digitalisation. It is our aim to combine our proven standardisation with the innovations of digitalisation to become the world’s most sustainable shipbuilder.

A range of accommodation options can be booked using the hotelmap live link: https://HotelMap.com/MEQ55