Edinburgh's Forth Ports unveils new leadership roles amid renewables push

Edinburgh-based Forth Ports has unveiled a trio of leadership roles as it restructures its senior team.

The group, which owns and operates eight commercial ports in the UK, seven of them in Scotland, said it was making the changes to reflect the “increasing importance of its ports in the offshore renewables sector and the general supply chain”.

David Webster has been appointed as director of energy. He will be responsible for integrating the company’s energy team in Scotland with a view to building its strong market position in the energy sector, and in particular, offshore renewables.

Webster will report directly to chief executive Charles Hammond, and will retain his existing responsibilities as senior port manager responsible for the ports of Dundee and Leith, where Forth Ports is currently constructing a £40 million offshore renewables hub.

Among the appointments at Forth Ports, Ross McKissock has been appointed as director of unitised, responsible for integrating the commercial team on unitised container and trailer cargo across the group and growing volume. Picture: Todd-White Art Photography

Ross McKissock has been appointed as director of unitised, responsible for integrating the commercial team on unitised container and trailer cargo across the group and growing volume. He will retain his responsibilities for running London Container Terminal and will continue to report to Paul Dale, asset and site director at the Port of Tilbury on the Thames.

Meanwhile, Derek Knox has been appointed as head of operations Scottish Ports. He will have strategic and operational responsibility for delivering quality performance and maximum efficiency across the group’s Scottish ports.

Knox will retain his specific responsibilities as senior port manager at Grangemouth, Scotland’s largest container port, and Forth Ports’ Fife ports, including Rosyth.

Hammond said: “These new senior positions come at a key time when we are focusing our business on the important areas of offshore renewables, containerised cargo and a resilient supply chain. As a group we are investing significantly across the business in these areas including our bespoke renewables hubs in Leith and Dundee and our freeport freight hub in the Thames.

“I have worked with David, Ross and Derek for a number of years, and I am confident they will make an even stronger contribution to the continued development of Forth Ports in their new roles.”

Within and around the firths of Forth and Tay, the group manages and operates an area of 280 square miles of navigable waters.

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