Watch the event highlights film below

The 2025 British Ports Association (BPA) Annual Conference and Exhibition was hosted on The Humber on 15th and 16th October 2025 and attracted over 350 delegates from all over the UK and internationally.

As one of the key events in the national maritime industry calendar, BPA 2025 provided a unique opportunity for stakeholders to come together to meet and do business, discuss the latest policy developments, debate topical issues and shape future industry trends within the UK ports and harbours sector.

The 2025 event was jointly hosted by Associated British Ports – owner and operator of the four Humber ports (Grimsby, Immingham, Goole and Hull) – and Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, owner of the Port of Grimsby East and Grimsby Fish Market.

The conference and exhibition venue was the 4* Forest Pines Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort. Nestled in 190 acres of Lincolnshire woodland. Forest Pines also hosted two of the three evening social events planned for conference attendees. 

 On Tuesday 14th October, there was a welcome drinks reception, while on Thursday 16th, the hotel was the venue for the much-anticipated 2025 BPA Awards and Gala Dinner – details of the award winners can be found here.

On Wednesday 15th October, delegates had the opportunity to ‘Party Underwater’ at The Deep, the region’s award-winning aquarium attraction. 

The theme of this year’s conference was “The Energy Estuary” and we worked with our 2025 partners and sponsors, exhibitors and expert speakers, to stage an event that showcased the very best our sector had to offer.

Hosted just a few miles from the River Humber, also known as the UK’s ‘energy estuary’, BPA 2025 provided a crucial platform for a cross-section of the ports and maritime community to get together with representatives from associated industries, government, academia and the media, to build collective understanding, make connections and debate the challenges and opportunities that we were facing.

We were delighted to welcome everyone who joined us.

Richard Ballantyne OBE, Chief Executive, British Ports Association

Andrew Dawes, Regional Director (Humber), Associated British Ports

Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive, Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises Ltd and Port of Grimsby East

Feedback from 2024 conference attendees: