The British Ports Association, the national trade body for ports and harbours, has re-issued its invitation to industry specialists to collaborate with its dynamic thought leadership project, which examines what the future holds for the ports sector.

The BPA’s Port Futures programme has been running since 2018, serving as the sector’s thought leadership platform for its members and the wider industry. The central objective of the programme is to dissect emerging trends and to explore innovative ideas within the ports and shipping sectors. As such, the BPA wants to collaborate with companies and specialists who are working at the cutting edge of maritime expertise in order to challenge, provoke and inform.

Notable focal points for the Port Futures programme include technology, skills, and infrastructure. The research should address key issues for ports over either the short, medium and long-term future. Research can also highlight the potential opportunities for and challenges to British ports that these issues present.

The BPA represents over 400 ports, harbours and marine facilities but also has a wide number of associated specialties In membership. These include infrastructure, sustainability, legal, financial, employment and operational experts and consultants who make up the BPA Associate Members and the programme enable such entities to produce resources and opinion pieces examining future trends in the ports sector.