Captain Alan McPherson, Chief Harbour Master at Forth Ports has been voted in as the new President of the UK Harbour Masters Association taking over the role at the Association AGM in Southampton on 11th June from Captain Paul Brooks who completed his two year tenure as President.

The United Kingdom Harbour Masters’ Association (UKHMA) is the one of the world’s oldest and largest Harbour Master & Port Marine Management Associations and consists of over 500 Harbour Masters, Port professionals and Commercial members from ports, harbours and marinas across the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the UK Crown Dependencies.

Captain McPherson is an very experienced mariner, Harbour Master and Senior Port executive with over 25 years in the sector. He is the Chief Harbour Master for Forth Ports where he has been in post for nearly a decade and is responsible for the busy waterways of the Forth and Tay and has an operating area of 280 square miles of navigable waters, including two specialist marine terminals for oil and gas export and provides other marine services, such as towage and conservancy.

Alan was previously with the Port of Tyne Authority where he held various roles in the 15 years with the company including Senior Pilot, Deputy Harbour Master and Harbour Master. He has also worked with the Port of Sunderland, and prior to that a career at sea.

Commenting on his appointment, Captain McPherson said: “I am honoured to have been voted to the role of President of the UKHMA and my thanks to Captain Brooks for the past two years. I have been in the sector for nearly three decades and a member of UKHMA since 2005. The UKHMA is well respected  in the industry, and I am looking forward to representing and presenting the views of the members for the next two years. Harbour Masters and marine professionals are an essential part of our Ports and Harbours and I look forward to working collaboratively with all our stakeholders in promoting the objectives of the Association, sharing best practice and creating an environment where open, positive and constructive dialogue exists.’’

The Association represents a unique source of relevant expert knowledge and experience across a range of port and marine operations. The main objective of the Association, which was formed in 1993, is to encourage the safe and efficient conduct of marine operations in ports as laid out in the Port and Marine Facility Safety Code and engage with, advise and consult with the UK and the Devolved Nation’s Governments and associated regulatory Maritime Agencies.

Martin Willis AFNI, Executive Officer of the UKHMA said: “On behalf of Paul Brooks, our out going Association President and the full membership of the UKHMA we welcome Alan as the newly elected President of the Association and wish him all success in the role. Alan has been appointed by his industry peers entirely on merit and richly deserves the honour to lead our highly regarded professional organisation and shall undertake the role as the lead representative of the Association with great confidence, assurance and the full support of all members of the UK Harbour Masters Association during the tenure of his Presidency”.

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