AUTHORITY REORGANISES TO MEET FUTURE CHALLENGES

The executive team of Milford Haven Port Authority has been strengthened with a new senior appointment and the redefining of existing responsibilities following a detailed strategic review to ensure it can meet exciting future challenges.

Shipping industry executive Myra Shacklady has been recruited to increase revenues across the Port Authority’s many areas of commercial activity, and Andrew Brown, formerly managing director of the Milford Docks Company, has taken on the newly-created role of Port Engineer, responsible for its major programme of investment in new infrastructure projects, including dredging.

Port Authority chief executive Ted Sangster said the changes were a result of a review undertaken in the light of an exciting future, which included the expansion of many of the organisation’s existing activities, and the development of two Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) terminals due to receive their first ships by the end of 2007.

The Authority’s wholly owned subsidiary, the Milford Docks Company, will no longer have an active operational role, and the oversight of all its activities (Milford Docks, Milford Marina, Pembroke Port and Ferry Terminal, Ship Repair and Dry Dock) will be direct from the Board of the Authority.

“We now have a single executive team, responsible to the Board, who manage all the Authority’s activities,” said Mr Sangster. “The roles of the senior managers accountable to the Board have been redefined, and the executive team strengthened.

“This redefined and strengthened organisation is more efficient, and allows the Board more easily to take a balanced strategic view of its requirements and priorities.

“Some activities used to be rather remote from Board discussions as they were managed through subsidiaries. As a stronger, more focused senior management team, we are all confident that we can support the Board more effectively in delivering the future that it has identified is most appropriate for the Authority.”

Myra Shacklady, who takes on a new role of Commercial Director for the Port Authority Group, has 30 years’ experience in the industry with a stream of blue chip companies including P&O Ferries, Stena Line and Page and Moy.

As marine operations director for Sun Cruises, part of My Travel plc, for almost 10 years, she was responsible for delivering and implementing all aspects of marine and port operations for a fleet of four cruise vessels negotiating agreements with 157 ports world wide and in charge of a £34m annual budget.

Her responsibilities in Milford Haven encompass the commercial activities of Milford Port itself, the commercial activities and ferry port on the south side of the Haven, the Group’s ship repairs business, the marina and the development of its property portfolio.

“There are new opportunities to increase revenue in all these areas of activity, and my role is to do just that,” said Miss Shacklady.

“I want to bring the management of the individual commercial operations more closely together and work with them to increase the profile and profitability of their businesses in the UK and Europe.”

Miss Shacklady listed the refitting and outfitting of mega leisure vessels as two of the key areas being targeted for increased business, together with raising the number of private yachts using the marina and the leisure facilities available.

She also said she wanted to continue the work that had been done by the Authority to develop the Haven as a cruise destination.

“Milford Haven has been identified as the strategic location in South Wales for the construction of a berth big enough to accommodate additional general cargo and the new generation of large cruise ships over 300m,” she said.

“We are in the process of planning for this as the cruise market, which brings with it passengers coming ashore spending over £100 each in the local economy, is certainly one we want to have a greater share of.”

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PHOTO CAPTION
Myra Shacklady, who takes on a new role of Commercial Director for the Milford Haven Port Authority Group, with chief executive Ted Sangster.