USER PORTAL
ABOUT
You can find out further details about the current officers of the THPUA and some recent achievements of the association below.
CURRENT OFFICERS
CHAIR
Christian Melvin
Christian was appointed as Chairman in December 2025 having previously served and Vice-chair and Treasurer of the group.
Christian is Regional Director of Port Agency Graypen/GP Shipping who are longstanding members of the THPUA and has worked as a Port Agent for over 15 years and alongside his duties, offers support to the wider port community.
VICE CHAIR
Jessica Churchman
Jess was appointed as Vice Chair of the Tees & Hartlepool Port Users Association in April 2026, reflecting her strong commitment to the port community and her active involvement in supporting its growth and collaboration.
In her role as Sales Manager at 3t Training Services, Jess works closely with a wide range of port users, helping organisations enhance their workforce capability through high-quality training and competency solutions. She has built a strong reputation for understanding the operational needs of safety-critical environments and delivering tailored support to meet them.
Jess is particularly passionate about promoting safety, skills development, and continuous improvement across safety-critical sectors, with a strong focus on the maritime industry. She is dedicated to ensuring that individuals and organisations operating within the port environment have access to the training and expertise needed to work safely, efficiently, and to the highest standards
SECRETARY
Gavin McCabe
Gavin was appointed as secretary in December 2023 and is currently General Manager at Cockfield Knight & Co Ltd, which is part of the AV Dawson group at Port of Middlesbrough.
In addition to his executive role, Gavin is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and has been an active member for over 10 years. Through both his Institute involvement and his position on the Tees Maritime board, he continues to actively support and promote the local and regional shipping and maritime community.
TREASURER
Nathan Wilson
Nathan was appointed as treasurer in December 2023 and is currently employed as a finance assistant at Redcar Bulk Terminal, reporting to the Head of Finance. He is currently studying in accountancy under the ACCA qualification with the hopes to eventually become a chartered or management accountant.
Nathan is enjoying the responsibility in his role as treasurer for the THPUA and being able to network with members and the wider port community is giving him a greater insight into port services and the shipping industry.
PAST OFFICERS
| CHAIRMAN | DATE | Christian Melvin Matthew Ord | 2025- Present 2023 - 2025 |
|---|---|
| Garry O'Malley | 2021 - 2023 |
| Gary Dawson | 2019 - 2021 |
| Stuart Brookes | 2017 - 2019 |
| Craig Briggs | 2015 - 2017 |
| Helen Sykes | 2013 - 2015 |
| Dave MacDonald | 2013 |
| Dave Tripp | 2011 - 2012 |
| Malcolm Cole | 2009 - 2011 |
| Dave MacDonald | 2007 - 2009 |
| Alèxe Finlay | 2004 - 2007 |
| Alastair Bulmer | 2002 - 2004 |
| Richard Booth | 2000 - 2002 |
| Tony Brown | 1998 - 2000 |
| John Davison | 1996 - 1998 |
| VICE CHAIR | DATE |
|---|---|
| TBC Christian Melvin | 2025 - Present 2023 - 2025 |
| Matthew Ord | 2021 - 2023 |
| Garry O'Malley | 2019 - 2021 |
| Gary Dawson | 2017 - 2019 |
| Stuart Brookes | 2015 - 2017 |
| Craig Briggs | 2013 - 2015 |
| Helen Sykes | 2011 - 2013 |
| Dave MacDonald | 2012 |
| Dave Tripp | 2009 - 2010 |
| Malcolm Cole | 2007 - 2009 |
| Dave MacDonald | 2005 - 2007 |
| Phil Heseltine | 2003 - 2004 |
| Alèxe Finlay | 2002 - 2003 |
| Alastair Bulmer | 2000 - 2002 |
| Richard Booth | 1998 - 2000 |
| Tony Brown | 1996 - 1998 |
| John Davison | 1995 - 1996 |
| SECRETARIES | DATE |
|---|---|
| Gavin McCabe | 2023 - Present |
| Charlie Nettle | 2017 - 2023 |
| Alèxe Finlay | 2008 - 2017 |
| Bryn Hiscox | 1995 - 2007 |
| TREASURERS | DATE |
|---|---|
| Nathan Wilson | 2023 - Present |
| Christian Mervin | 2017 - 2023 |
| Michael Crager | 2007 - 2017 |
| Bryn Hiscox | 1995 – 2007 |
ABOUT US
The THPUA works collaboratively with regional stakeholders. Below are some recent examples of its lobbying and collaborative work.
- Secured extended Freeport boundary for Teesside Freeport
- Provided customs expertise to Mayor’s Office for Freeport bid
- Challenged government on removal of red diesel relief
- Engaged with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to expediate licensing processes
- Worked collaboratively with environmental agencies on Tees habitat banking initiative
- Engaged with the local authorities on plans for Teesworks site
- Engaged with Tees Valley Combined Authority on collaborative marketing of the region and showcasing the river’s assets
- Regular meetings with Teesport statutory harbour authority
- Close working relationship with the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS)
MEMBERSHIP STATISTICS
- THPUA’s membership is diverse – it includes the biggest organisations on the river and one-person businesses
- THPUA members collectively employ over 2,800 people (in their Tees-based operations)
- THPUA members bring 28.2M Tonnes through Tees & Hartlepool ports each year
- The combined annual turnover of THPUA members exceeds £642m
- THPUA members spend £256M with Tees Valley-based suppliers each year
- THPUA has an active and growing membership, which has increased by a third in the last three years
OUR MEMBERS
