The British Ports Association (BPA) has welcomed the launch of the latest three-year compliance exercise for the Ports and Marine Facilities Safety Code (PMSC), covering the 2026–28 period.
The exercise, which is open until the end of March 2026, is being led by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and applies to ports and marine facilities across the UK. It invites ports, harbours, and marine facilities of all sizes and ownership structures to demonstrate their alignment with the Code through a new, step-by-step online submission process available via the GOV.UK website.
The BPA is encouraging strong participation from across the sector, with a particular focus on facilities that are not harbour authorities in their own right. The association said broad engagement will help underline the port industry’s collective commitment to maintaining high marine safety standards.
The PMSC remains a cornerstone of the UK port sector’s approach to marine safety, and the BPA has suggested that widespread participation in the compliance exercise will demonstrate that the Code is effective, well-regarded, and delivering tangible value for both industry and regulators.
Alongside industry efforts, the UK Government is seeking to extend the reach of the Code as widely as possible. This includes encouraging participation from terminals, marinas, and very small harbours and jetties, many of which have limited marine activity but still play a role in local maritime operations.
Commenting on the launch, Richard Ballantyne, Chief Executive of the British Ports Association, said: “We strongly welcome the opening of this latest PMSC compliance exercise and want to see as many port operators participate as is possible. Safety is at the heart of everything UK ports do, and this process provides an important opportunity for ports and marine facilities to demonstrate their commitment to best practice. By engaging fully, the sector can show that the Code is working well and that a non-statutory, partnership-based approach continues to serve both industry and government effectively.”
