Drawing on 60 years of experience, ABP Marine Environmental Research (ABPmer) provides specialist marine environmental research and consultancy services.
UK Dredging (UKD) operates the largest British-owned dredging fleet and specialises in the provision of reliable and cost effective port maintenance dredging services.
Iain Barnett, Commercial Manager (Unitised) and Paul Hatley, Lead Commercial Manager, from Associated British Ports; are joining panels at Coastlink 2026 when it comes to the Humber in May.
Two of Associated British Ports’ (ABP) most experienced Humber commercial managers are taking to the stage when the UK’s largest port operator hosts Coastlink 2026 conference in the Humber region in May.
Paul Hatley, Lead Commercial Manager and automotive specialist, will join Iain Barnett, Commercial Manager leading on Unitised freight solutions at the two-day event in Hull. The conference will feature industry-leading speakers and thought-provoking discussions; all set in the heart of Associated British Ports cluster of four ports in the Humber which make up the UK’s largest gateway for trade by tonnage.
Both will appear on day one of the conference with Iain as a panellist discussing growth and transformation in RoRo and LoLo shipping, while Paul will participate in
session two discussing sustainable and resilient distribution for supply chain requirements with other esteemed industry experts.
Paul Hatley said: “Building resilient and sustainable supply chains in a fast moving and unpredictable world is an operational necessity. I am looking forward to the discussion around our ports having a responsibility to lead on this imperative by embracing innovation and designing systems that can adapt to whatever may come to create agile and efficient automotive sector supply chains.”
Iain added: “It’s an honour to be talking at Coastlink 2026, in what is the busiest trading gateway in the UK. RoRo and LoLo shipping are evolving and nowhere is that truer than here on the Humber. It’s not simply about growth, but about being innovative and looking at ways to be more efficient to keep goods and economies moving while offering value to our customers.”
ABP, the UK’s largest ports group, operates two container terminals at Immingham and Hull for dedicated RoRo services with 77 sailings a week offering customers flexible, reliable and efficient supply chain solutions.
Major investment has been made into ship to shore cranes and terminal management systems across the terminals which has included electrification of rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes, which enhances the Humber as a port of choice.
The Humber ports handle more than 50,000 million tonnes of cargo between them annually, with the Ports of Immingham and Grimsby remaining the largest tonnage ports in the UK. Their strategic locations enable shippers to reduce road miles, carbon emissions and cost by sending cargo through the Humber to its destination.
Coastlink is a pan-European network dedicated to the promotion of short sea and feeder shipping. Participants include ports and port operators, short sea shipping lines and shippers, intermodal operators, terminal operators, cargo handlers, stevedores and logistics specialists.
Iain will also feature on a webinar hosted by Mercator Media on Tuesday 17th March. Register here for the webinar.