Blog post: PSS visit to the Isle of Man

PSS Chief Executive, Debbie Cavaldoro, recently visited the Isle of Man to take part in a maritime conference and visit the team at PSS member, Isle of Man Harbours Division.

As part of the Isle of Man Maritime conference, Debbie hosted a panel discussing skills and seafarers. The panel explored how to improve seafarer safety and wellbeing at sea, and the initiatives taking place on the Isle of Man to inspire young people to pursue careers in maritime.

Other sessions at the conference included an interesting look at how AI, generative platforms, and vibe coding could change the way business is done, drive economic development on the island, and support the growth of the superyacht industry.

The following day, Debbie met with the Harbour Division team, including Michael Macdonald (Mac), Martin Smith (Smudger), and Andy Mulhern to discuss the latest developments at PSS. Discussions ranged from the new fishing vessels Safety in Ports (SiP) guidance, the development of the competency framework project, and the hotly contested cake baking competition!

The port team also provided a tour of their operations in Douglas, highlighting some of the major investment projects such as new bollards, fenders, and dredging to accommodate larger, heavier vessels, as well as their wider role maintaining bridges, gates, and marinas across the island.

The visit underlined the realities of day‑to‑day port management within a public ownership model and their unique role alongside the Isle of Man Coastguard. Overall, the port presents a picture familiar across the maritime sector: a multi‑use facility serving ferries, fishing fleets, fuel imports and marinas, striving to future‑proof critical infrastructure while dealing with legacy assets, regulatory expectations, and public scrutiny over how limited budgets are spent.

Following the Douglas visit, David Goober, Director of Harbours, took Debbie on a tour of the rest of the island, showing off the various small ports and harbours which are managed by the Harbours Division.

The visit highlighted the remarkable diversity of activity the is covered by the Harbours Division all supporting the islands’ economy and communities.

PSS extends thanks to the Isle of Man Harbours Division, Isle of Man Government and Isle of Man Maritime for their warm welcome and hospitality. These visits are invaluable for reinforcing the cooperation between PSS and its members. They ground PSS’s national work in local realities and ensure the approach to guidance, campaigns, and collaborative learning reflects the operational context of ports. Members interested in hosting a PSS visit are encouraged to get in touch.