Maritime UK Solent has appointed Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port Director, to the Board as a non-executive director.
Mike joins the Board of Maritime UK Solent as Alastair Welch, Regional Director at Associated British Ports (ABP) steps down after serving on the Board of Maritime UK Solent since its inception. Alastair played a pivotal role in shaping Maritime UK Solent from the outset to provide a collective voice for the maritime sector in the South and foster collaborations between industry, government and academia to drive growth.
Anne-Marie Mountifield, Chair of Maritime UK Solent, said: “The Solent is the UK’s global gateway and the ports play a critical role not only to the economic success of our region, but to the whole country. Having this expertise from Alastair and now Mike on the Board of Maritime UK Solent is invaluable as we navigate global challenges, changes and opportunities which impact so significantly on our coastal communities.
“Alastair’s expertise and contributions have been instrumental in steering the direction of Maritime UK Solent and establishing it as the major regional cluster it is today. I’d like to thank him for all the time and support he has given, and he leaves at a time when Maritime UK Solent is in a strong position to move forward and grow membership.
“A very warm welcome to Mike, who brings with him a lifetime of experience from a career in ports and shipping. As we grow our membership, Mike’s knowledge will be crucial as we strive to further strengthen the Solent’s maritime sector and help businesses to innovate, compete, and win on the global stage.”
Mike Sellers joined Portsmouth International Port as Director in 2017, having spent the previous 20 years at ABP in the North and North East of England, and he was Chair of the British Ports Association from 2023 – 2025.
Mike Sellers, Portsmouth International Port Director said: “It’s an exciting time to be involved with Maritime UK Solent as innovation takes centre stage to drive the industry forward, bringing together private, public and research institutes to continue this valuable work.”
Alastair Welch, ABP Regional Director said “The Solent is home to so much of the UK’s world leading Maritime sector and it has been my pleasure to have played a small part in the development of Maritime UK Solent as we showcase and build on so many of the strengths of the thriving Maritime cluster in the Solent.”
The Port of Southampton, managed by ABP, is the UK’s leading port for deep-sea trade, handling £70 billion of manufactured goods per year and is the UK’s number one export port. It supports 15,000 jobs within the Solent and 45,000 across the UK. The port is home to the 2nd largest container terminal, handles 600,000 vehicles per year and is Europe’s leading turnaround cruise port, with over 3 million passengers passing through the port annually.
Portsmouth International Port is a major port, responsible for handling millions of customers and vital cargo across the globe, and is the UK’s most successful local authority owned port. It has bold ambitions to reach net zero by 2030 and become zero emission by 2050, which includes the groundbreaking Sea Change shore power project. The port is also home to Portico, who operate two conventional cargo berths and import the majority of bananas into the UK.