The UK’s second largest port operator has appointed a new Head of Marine in Scotland.

Alex McIntosh has been appointed to the senior position at Peel Ports Clydeport and becomes the first women to hold the role for the port group in Scotland, with the port group’s statutory harbour authority area, including Ayrshire.

Alex recently returned to the business after becoming its first ever female pilot in Scotland in early 2010. 

Now based at the Port of Greenock, her new role involves overseeing the safe navigation of vessels – ranging from luxury cruise ships to container vessels – across 450 square miles of water.

Alex said: “It’s a real honour to take up this important role at Peel Ports Group.

“The juxtaposition between vessel types we’re dealing with every day is quite spectacular. One day we can be supporting a luxury cruise ship with hundreds of people on their holidays, and 200 metres up the quayside we can have a large container vessel coming in carrying consumer goods from anywhere in the world, or a road salt delivery in the winter months.

(Image: Gillian Green/Largs News Camera Club)

“I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but no two days are the same here, which is one of the reasons that I love it.”

Alex spent over three years as a pilot before moving to the Port of Aberdeen, where she rose to Harbour Master.  

Alex heads up a team of five at the port, with 20 further team members part of the wider department supporting the navigation of the authority’s waters.  

Her appointment comes as Peel Ports strives to encourage more women into the maritime industry than ever before. In 2022 the Group welcomed its first ever female apprentice in Scotland.  

Jim McSporran, Port Director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “It’s fantastic to have Alex back in the business. Alex is returning with a wealth of experience and is extremely well respected in our industry.

“We hope that success stories like Alex’s can inspire more women to consider a job in the port industry, which is extremely varied.

“Our port sector has been historically male dominated and we’re really keen to grow the numbers of women in our business and across the wider sector.”