Meet our Sponsors

Chartwell Marine is a trusted pioneer in next-generation vessel design. A reputed naval architect with an industry-leading track record designing award-winning high-speed vessels, Chartwell Marine supports ambitious boat builders and vessel operators around the world with specialist, independent design and consultancy services.

Vulcan Offshore is a fabrication, welding and machining company who specialise in producing high quality products for the offshore, marine, subsea and Manufacturing industries. They pride themselves in working to core values of Quality, Safety and Efficiency.

Wightlink is passionate about sustainability. We already operate England’s first large hybrid ferry, Victoria of Wight, and have exciting plans to decarbonise our fleet and port operations ready for Net Zero in 2050. They look forward to hearing more about how other companies and organisations in and around the Solent are tackling these challenges.

Tomorrow’s Britain faces a changing world, full of challenges.

The sea, upon which our island nation depends for food and data, for our economy and our energy, our trade and influence, is centre stage. In this changing, world the Navy is in heavy demand, facing these challenges with a global presence. Whether at home, in the Far East, the Gulf, in the North or South Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Caribbean or Baltic – we are there, working for the United Kingdom.

The Royal Navy does not stand still. We are a global organisation, a modern force.

And we are ready.

South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is a large, merged college group, that brings together three Further Education colleges from Southampton, Eastleigh and Fareham to make one strong, responsive and ambitious organisation. The mission of South Hampshire College Group is to enable all students, apprentices and our region’s businesses to be successful in their future through high-quality technical and professional education and training.

Womble Bond Dickinson is a full-service transatlantic law firm with an exceptional team of talented lawyers and business professionals. Our people have been advising sectors and industries for decades, and offer guidance and solutions that are right for your business. We have both broad and niche expertise across all our UK and US offices, especially in relation to international trade, which is why we were so keen to sponsor the Global Trade Award.

Warsash Maritime School is the only maritime training centre of its kind in the world.

We proudly deliver high-quality education and training for the maritime and offshore industries to meet the international demand for crew, officers and captains who are trained to the highest professional standards. Navigation, marine engineer and marine electro-technical officers benefit from our internationally recognised certification programmes, from initial entry as officer cadets to masters or chief engineers. Our STCW safety training is delivered by technical specialists with many years’ experience in their field.

In total, we offer more than 150 accredited deck, engineering, interior, maritime and offshore safety training courses, approved by the MCA, MNTB, OPITO, SIGTTO, SQA, and other awarding bodies.

Solent Stevedores has been proudly operating as an award-winning family-run company for more than 20 years. With market-leading port services in cargo operations, dry bulk, fresh produce, cruise stevedoring, rail and container services, Solent Stevedores operates from 7 locations across the UK, Singapore, Northern France and Channel Islands.

Associated British Ports (ABP) is the UK’s leading ports group, with 21 ports handling around a quarter of the UK’s seaborne trade. Together with customers, ABP’s ports contribute £7.5 billion to the UK economy and support 119,000 jobs.

ABP Southampton operates the Port of Southampton and is the UK’s number one vehicle handling port, capable of processing 900,000 vehicles per year.

BAE’s mission is to support and protect those that serve and protect us. With sites in Portsmouth and on the Isle of Wight, BAE Systems Maritime Services provides global support for warships, manufactures cutting edge radar capabilities and provides the very latest in underwater weapons technologies. Their products, systems and services ensure customers have a military advantage.

DP World Southampton is at the heart of Britain’s trading future, enabling customers to move goods and materials smoothly and efficiently in and out of the UK and across their supply chain.

As part of DP World in the UK, we operate the UK’s most advanced logistics hubs; two deep water ports with freight rail terminals at Southampton and London Gateway, and a rapidly expanding logistics park on the doorstep of the capital. We believe in the UK market and have the ambition and the resources to boost growth, support businesses, create jobs and improve living standards.

The Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI) is a multi-disciplinary research institute at the University of Southampton that brings together world class experts to address ocean challenges and develop innovative and sustainable solutions for harnessing the ocean’s potential.

Tapping into expertise that spans the ocean sciences, marine engineering, marine biology, coastal dynamics, and maritime law, among others, the SMMI generates new insights for businesses, governments, and organisations, educating the next generation of leaders and addressing challenges around the natural ocean environment and human use of the sea.

Founded in 1861, and celebrating over 160 years of service, Red Funnel is the original Isle of Wight ferry company. Red Funnel operates 365 days a year with over 30,000 sailings between Southampton and the two Island terminals in East Cowes and West Cowes. Their talented team of over 500 colleagues and fleet of 7 vessels facilitate over 3 million passenger crossings per year.