Technology and digital infrastructure are transforming the way we operate at the Port of Milford Haven. Whether it is using AI to improve safety and efficiency or leveraging data to support our local community, digital tools are helping us to create a more sustainable and forward-looking business.
The challenge is ensuring that these innovations deliver benefits not just for the port, but for the people and businesses that rely on it.
On the operational side, digital advancements are making a real difference. We are already using AI and simulation training to improve safety and efficiency, particularly in tug operations and port planning. We have invested in digital twins to optimise the waterway, allowing us to model different scenarios and make better decisions. Looking ahead, AI will play an increasing role in our planning tools, but as a safety-critical industry, we have to strike the right balance. Automation can improve efficiency, but it must never come at the expense of accountability or understanding.
Beyond operations, digital infrastructure has a vital role in supporting the wider community. Milford Haven is a major energy hub, with 20% of the UK’s energy passing through its waterway, but the area around the port faces significant economic challenges. Around a third of people in our county are living below the poverty line, and digital poverty remains a real issue. Access to technology is essential for education, job opportunities and social mobility.
As a Trust Port, we reinvest our profits into the business and the community, and this includes supporting initiatives that improve digital access. Something as simple as reducing rent for our local library can have a big impact, ensuring that people have a place to access the internet, apply for jobs, and use online services. Libraries in our area are doing far more than lending books. They are digital access points, community hubs, and places where local councils deliver vital services.
A strong digital backbone is also key to addressing social challenges. Initiatives that encourage more women to take up careers in science, technology and engineering require digital infrastructure to deliver training and support. Efforts to prevent youth self-harm and suicide increasingly rely on digital tools and online networks.
Even our work in retail and hospitality – supporting footfall for local businesses and attracting visitors to the marina – depends on data to measure success and plan future investment.
The results speak for themselves. Over the past three years, we have created 220 new jobs in Milford Haven, using data to drive decision-making and enable businesses to succeed. Digital connectivity is essential to this, and it must be a priority for future development.
We live in a stunning part of the world, but limited infrastructure creates barriers to progress. If businesses cannot access fast and reliable digital services, it holds back investment, growth, and job creation.
Our approach as a Trust Port is to reinvest 10% of our excess profits back into the community. The challenge is making sure this funding has the greatest impact. It is easy to sponsor sports kits, and that undoubtedly has value, but the real question is how we provide long-term support for people who face digital exclusion. How do we ensure that children in low-income households have internet access at home? How do we use digital tools to raise aspirations and provide real opportunities?
Technology is already transforming the way we operate, but the real opportunity is in how it can be used to strengthen the local economy and community. For us, digital investment is about more than business efficiency. It is about creating a stronger, more inclusive future for the people and businesses that rely on the port.
