Port Skills and Safety

What Port Skills and Safety does

Port Skills and Safety (PSS) is a UK professional membership organization serving as the standards-setting body for the port sector. Founded in 2002 and headquartered at 30 Park Street, London, the organization runs four membership tiers (Full, Affiliate, Training Provider, Community) covering port operators, training providers, individual port workers, and broader port industry professionals. Its remit spans two pillars: skills (national occupational standards, apprenticeships, qualifications, competency frameworks, port skills audits, career pathways) and safety (Safety in Ports guidance, HSE audits, safety alerts and bulletins, the Safety Climate Tool, and a Port Incident Statistics data dashboard). Beyond its core offerings, PSS operates industry groups (Port Skills Group, Port Safety Group, Women in Ports Network) and runs annual programs including the PSS Conference, the PSS Awards, and recurring campaigns on Mental Health in Ports, EV and Lithium-ion battery awareness, and Port to Haulier Communications.

PSS is funded primarily through annual membership subscriptions, paid training courses (including the Incident Investigators Toolkit), and conferences/exhibitions (e.g., the Electric Vehicle Maritime Safety Conference priced at £150 for members and £200 for non-members). Its go-to-market is sales-led, with membership renewals quoted in December each year and pro-rata fees for mid-year joiners. The customer base is distributed across UK ports — including Port of Aberdeen, Bristol Port Company, Forth Ports, CalMac Ferries, Portsmouth International Port, and others — limiting single-customer dependency. The organization is a private company limited by guarantee, governed by a PSS Board, with no disclosed external investment, no parent company, and 12 employees. PSS monetizes its position as the sector's standards body through bundled content, events, recognition (PSS Awards), and targeted campaigns, while leveraging strategic partnerships (UK Chamber of Shipping for EV safety; Remit Training, EINTAC, EV Fire Solution Services, Dafo for training and equipment) to extend its reach.

Name

Port Skills and Safety

Legal name

Port Skills and Safety Limited

Website

https://portskillsandsafety.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Port Skills and Safety (PSS) is the UK port sector's professional membership and standards-setting body, delivering safety guidance, apprenticeships, qualifications, HSE audits, and industry events to port operators, training providers, and port workers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Sector Professional Membership and Safety Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Ship & Port Security Audits, Inspections & Certification (Flag/Class/PSC Support) (TLAHANAD)

Keywords

• Port safety membership
• Port skills training
• Occupational standards
• Port HSE audits
• Maritime safety guidance

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership fees: Annual membership fees charged on annual basis. Pro-rata fees for members joining mid-year. Quotes for renewal issued in December.
2. Training courses: Revenue from Incident Investigators Toolkit and other training courses. Cancellation charges apply (50-100% depending on notice period).
3. Event tickets and exhibitions: Revenue from conference tickets (EV Maritime Safety Conference: £150 members, £200 non-members) and exhibition stands/sponsorship.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Port Skills and Safety is the UK port sector's professional safety and skills membership organization, functioning as the standards-setting body for ports. It sells annual memberships (Full, Affiliate, Training Provider, Community tiers), delivers skills programs (apprenticeships, qualifications, national occupational standards), provides safety services (HSE audits, Safety Climate Tool, incident statistics, data dashboard), and runs training courses, conferences, and industry campaigns for port operators and port workers.

Product overview

Port Skills and Safety is a professional membership organization serving as the standards-setting body for the UK port sector. It operates a multi-faceted platform centered on skills development and safety improvement, comprising skills programs (apprenticeships, qualifications, training, national occupational standards), safety services (guidance, HSE audits, safety alerts, data dashboard, incident statistics), and a Knowledge Hub resource library. The organization runs membership programs (Full, Affiliate, Training Provider, Community), facilitates networking groups (Port Skills Group, Port Safety Group, Women in Ports Network), organizes industry events including the annual PSS Conference and specialized conferences, and conducts targeted campaigns such as Mental Health in Ports, EV/Lithium-ion Awareness, and Port to Haulier Communications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PSS Membership Annual subscription membership program offering access to resources, guidance, audits, and industry networking for UK port sector organizations and individuals across four tiers: Full Membership (port operators and companies), Affiliate Membership, Training Provider Membership, and Community Membership.
• Skills Programs Comprehensive workforce development services including national occupational standards, career pathways, apprenticeships, qualifications, port skills audits, competency management, and training programs for the UK port sector workforce.
• Safety Services Safety improvement programs including Port HSE audits, safety alerts and bulletins, the Safety Climate Tool, port incident statistics, the PSS Data Dashboard, Safety in Ports guidance, and emergency flash cards for performance tracking and incident prevention in the UK port sector.
• Knowledge Hub Online resource library providing access to safety guidance, apprenticeship information, innovation articles, national occupational standards, port incident statistics, PSS strategies, qualifications, safety alerts, bulletins, and case studies for members and the port sector.
• Incident Investigators Toolkit Training Course Training course equipping port sector personnel with incident investigation competencies; cancellation charges apply (50-100% depending on notice period).
• PSS Conference Annual industry conference bringing together port professionals to discuss safety, skills, and innovation topics in the UK port sector.
• Electric Vehicle Maritime Safety Conference Specialized conference co-hosted with UK Chamber of Shipping addressing electric vehicle and lithium-ion battery risks in maritime operations, featuring keynote speakers and industry panels. Tickets priced at £150 for members and £200 for non-members.
• PSS Awards Annual awards program recognizing excellence and achievement in port safety and skills within the UK port sector industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% of port workers report job satisfaction in 2025 (up from 65% in 2023)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UK Chamber of ShippingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organized Electric Vehicle Maritime Safety Conference in October 2024, bringing together experts from academia, automotive, and maritime industries to discuss risks from increased use of electric vehicles in ports.
• Remit TrainingminorOthersTraining provider offering technical, non-technical, and bespoke training and apprenticeships. Adding new technologies to motor vehicle technician apprenticeships.
• EINTACminorOthersProvides site visits, evaluations, training courses, PPE, insulated tools, fire blankets and support for health and safety documents relating to high voltage electric and hybrid vehicles.
• EV Fire Solution ServicesminorOthersOrganization training on early interventions in case of EV fire. Concerned about lack of guidance and legislation around EV fire response.
• Dafo Vehicle Fire ProtectionminorOthersVehicle fire protection specialist with extensive firefighter experience. Bringing lessons from Sweden and Norway's EV handling experience.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Maritime UK: UK umbrella body bringing together the maritime sector across shipping, ports, marine, and business services. Comparable as a UK maritime-industry coordination and advocacy membership platform with broader scope than PSS.
• International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH): Global alliance of port authorities, port communities, and industry partners. Comparable to PSS as a port-sector membership and standards/knowledge body but operating globally.
• European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO): Pan-European port association representing port authorities on EU policy. Comparable to PSS as a sector trade/membership body but with broader geographic scope and policy focus.
• American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA): US trade and advocacy organisation for port authorities. Functionally similar to PSS as a port-sector membership body, but US-focused.

Regional players

• British Marine: UK trade association for the leisure, superyacht and small commercial marine sector. Functionally comparable as a membership and standards body in the UK maritime space, with narrower focus.

Emerging players

• Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK): UK professional body for logistics, transport and supply chain professionals. Comparable to PSS as a UK membership organisation offering qualifications, training, and networking within transport (though not port-specific).
• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH): Chartered professional body for occupational safety practitioners in the UK. Comparable to PSS as a professional membership organisation with standards and training focus, though broader sectoral remit.

Direct peers

• British Ports Association: UK trade association representing port operators and authorities. Highly comparable to PSS as a membership body serving the UK port sector on policy and operational matters; closest functional peer within UK ports.
• Society of Maritime Industries (SMI): UK trade association for the maritime technology and services sector. Comparable as a UK maritime-sector industry membership body with similar advocacy, networking, and event-driven revenue model.
• UK Chamber of Shipping: UK trade association for the shipping industry. Comparable as a maritime-sector membership and advocacy body; already PSS's partner on the Electric Vehicle Maritime Safety Conference.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/saferports
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/port-skills-and-safety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Port Skills and Safety