NEW PARTNERSHIPS ON THE WAVES
As we launch Accessible Oceans and connect with stakeholders across the industry, we were delighted to meet with good friend Stu Baker, Chief Executive at Maritime Solent, to discuss our vision, ambitions and opportunities ahead.
“The Solent is a world-leading maritime region. We want it to be a place where everyone has the opportunity to access, enjoy and build a connection with the sea. That is why we are delighted to support the launch of Accessible Oceans. Geoff and Neil bring a unique combination of lived experience, maritime expertise and practical understanding that can help our sector put accessibility at the heart of how vessels, infrastructure and services are designed and delivered. This is not simply about compliance. It is about better design, better experiences and ensuring that our maritime sector is genuinely open to everyone.”
Stu Baker, Chief Executive, Maritime Solent
"We look forward to working with Stu, the team at Maritime Solent and their partners, for a more accessible and inclusive maritime sector. We share a number of values and objectives, working to ensure access to the water is developed to its fullest potential. Whether it be for guests on a cruise liner, for access to UK commercial ports or safe passage in blue space environments for crew and staff teams in a range of maritime settings, Accessible Oceans can provide the expertise and insight to help on that journey. "
Geoff Holt MBE DL, Accessible Oceans Ltd.
6th October 2026
SOUTHAMPTON INTERNATIONAL BOAT SHOW
A great day at Southampton International Boat Show meeting good friends Jon Challis and Sian Inland at Coastal Marina Systems Ltd and many colleagues across the maritime industry talking all things Accessible Oceans.
The issue of accessibility is critical for all maritime businesses. We founded Accessible Oceans to support organisations with a positive culture of change to ensure access to blue spaces, be open to all who wish to access the water and to leverage the significant commercial benefits associated.
25th September 2026
ACCESSIBLE OCEANS SETS SAIL
For many people, access to the water is something they take for granted.
Whether it’s boarding a ferry, visiting a marina, joining a sailing club, taking a cruise, or simply enjoying time on a harbour front, the maritime world forms an important part of our economy, our leisure time and our national identity.
For millions of people with physical disabilities, however, accessing these environments can still be unnecessarily difficult.
The challenges are often very different from those found in traditional buildings or public spaces. Tides change. Pontoons move. Gangways become steeper. Vessels shift with the weather and sea conditions. Boarding arrangements can vary from one hour to the next.
Accessibility in maritime environments therefore requires more than simply complying with building regulations or installing a ramp.
It requires understanding OF how people move through a complete journey, from arrival and parking, through marina facilities, onto pontoons and ultimately aboard a vessel. It requires organisations to consider legal responsibilities, operational procedures, staff training, emergency planning and, most importantly, the lived experience of disabled people themselves.
In the UK, around 1 in 4 people live with a disability. Yet many maritime organisations continue to underestimate both the scale of this audience and the opportunities that greater accessibility can bring.
Creating accessible ports, harbours, marinas, ferry terminals, cruise facilities and watersports centres is not simply about compliance. It is about creating environments that are welcoming, inclusive and commercially sustainable.
At Accessible Oceans, we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to access and enjoy the blue space safely and confidently.
Our work brings together practical maritime experience, accessibility expertise, legal understanding, policy development and education to help organisations remove barriers and create meaningful change.
The future of the maritime sector must be accessible by design, not accessible as an afterthought.
When accessibility is considered from the outset, everybody benefits: organisations, staff, visitors, customers and communities alike.
The question is no longer whether accessibility matters.
The question is whether the maritime sector is prepared to lead the way.
15th September 2026