PSS conference 2026

The 2026 PSS Members’ Conference took place on Tuesday 07 July as part of Maritime Safety Week. The morning session was dedicated to updates from the industry and thought-provoking presentations from stakeholders. The afternoon session saw the finalist of the PSS Awards present their entries to the audience, who then voted for their favourite.

Keir Mather MP, Minister for Minister for Maritime, Aviation and Decarbonisation, was unable to attend the conference in person but sent a video message to open the event. In it, he recognised the role that Maritime Safety Week and the PSS conference play in highlighting the vital role of safety in enabling the maritime sector to thrive.

Mr Mather emphasised the importance of investing in the future workforce, commending PSS’s work to promote apprenticeships and attract a broader range of people into the sector. Looking ahead to the challenges of decarbonisation and automation, he stressed the need for diverse skills and perspectives to ensure maritime remains fit for the future.

He also welcomed the PSS Awards, wishing the finalists luck, before thanking the UK’s maritime workforce, whom he described as the “unsung heroes” of the economy.

The second presentation was from PSS Chair, Stuart Wallace. He highlighted the work the team had undertaken in the previous twelve months, highlighting how PSS works to drive up standards in skills and safety while delivering genuine value to members.

Stuart presented some of the key figures from the recently released annual safety statics, noting that while some metrics show a worsening position, they should not be viewed in isolation as reporting levels have increased in recent years. He urged all PSS members to provide incident information to PSS, so that the figures present as wide a view of the sector as possible.

He also noted the current work on skills standards and competencies, the container safety campaign, the port-specific safety culture survey, and early careers data. He urged members to “be present” and take part in PSS initiatives in order to maximise their membership value.

Next, Tim Slingsby, Director of Ocean Sustainability at the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, challenged delegates to consider the pivotal role that ports will play in shaping a safer, more sustainable global maritime system. He described ports as far more than gateways for trade, highlighting their role as centres of innovation and economic growth that sit at the heart of the transition to cleaner energy, digital technologies, and more resilient supply chains. While these developments present significant opportunities, he stressed that they also introduce new safety challenges, making investment in skills, evidence-based decision making and collaboration essential if the sector is to navigate the transition successfully.

Tim highted the Foundation’s “whole system approach” to bring together port operators, industry, governments, educators, and communities to build resilience and improve safety outcomes. He demonstrated how collaboration, investment in people, and locally led solutions can help ensure that the benefits of innovation are shared equitably across the maritime sector.

Steve Taylor, health and safety and Consultant at Protecting People, spoke about his academic research into using humour to promote safety messages. His research covered the different styles of humour and the positive roles they can play in helping to process complex or stressful situations.

He noted that humour in the workplace can bring people together and give groups a sense of identity. He explained how many high-pressure sectors, such as the military and the emergency services, can use humour which may seem inappropriate to those outside their workplace, but that helps them process the difficult realities of their jobs. Steve also talked about using humour when things are going wrong to prevent people becoming defensive and to diffuse tension when every option has a downside.

He concluded that humour is “more than just having a laugh” and is a communication tool which can break down barriers and bring individual style and humanity into important messages to ensure they are heard.

The final morning presentation was from PSS award sponsors TT Club. Harry Palmer, Risk Assessment Manager, explored what claims data can tell the sector about risk. Harry urged the audience to “sweat the small stuff” as this is where incidents can most likely be avoided and the cost of claims can add up over time.

Presentations from Stuart, Tim, and Steve are available for members to download.