Peel Ports Group appoints Captain Susan Cloggie-Holden as Group Harbour Master as respected maritime leader Gary Doyle transitions to retirement.

Peel Ports Group has appointed Captain Susan Cloggie-Holden as its new Group Harbour Master as marine industry stalwart Gary Doyle retires from the role and the business.

Capt Cloggie Holden, 42, originally of Drumchapel, Glasgow, joins the UK’s second largest port operator after a distinguished career with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA), where she became the organisation’s first female commanding officer in its 120-year history in 2021.

She now becomes the first female to perform the Group Harbour Master role at the port group, as she takes on the role of the most senior figure overseeing marine operations across Peel Ports Group’s network, which includes the Port of Liverpool, Clydeport, and London Medway.

In her new role she will lead teams across seven harbour authorities in delivering their responsibilities for operational and navigational matters, including vessel traffic management, pilotage, harbour services and safety and security across the Group’s marine operations.

She replaces Gary Doyle, 63, who is stepping down later this month after nearly a decade at the port operator and an impressive career spanning over 40 years at sea and in port leadership.

Capt Cloggie-Holden said: “It’s an incredible honour to take on the role of Group Harbour Master at Peel Ports Group.

“I’m looking forward to working alongside the dedicated marine teams across the business and building on the strong foundations Gary has laid. Gary’s contribution to the company and the wider maritime industry is immense, and I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to continue that legacy.”

Capt Cloggie-Holden rose through the ranks at the RFA after joining straight from school in 2000. She became the first RFA female champion, set up a female-to-female mentoring scheme across the RFA, and also became a founding member of the Maritime UK Women in Maritime Taskforce. This work saw her awarded the prestigious Merchant Navy Medal in 2021 for her tireless work to support women in maritime and six years ago she was named the Global Seafarer of the Year at the Lloyd's List Europe Awards.

She has travelled the world and taken part in military and peacekeeping operations, including the initial Operation Veritas campaign against the Taliban in 2001-02, supporting the post-Saddam Iraqi Navy in 2006-07, conducting counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden at the height of the scourge in 2008-09, and navigating supply ship RFA Fort Rosalie as it provided support to RN vessels involved in operations off Libya in 2011.

She replaces military veteran Gary, who joined Peel Ports Group in 2017 after holding a number of senior leadership roles in the Royal Navy, including Naval Regional Commander for the North of England and Isle of Man, where he served as the Navy’s senior ambassador across the region. He also held influential roles in personnel strategy, aviation capability, and strategic defence planning, including a high-profile posting to NATO’s Allied Command Transformation in Virginia, USA, where he represented UK interests on a global stage. He has worked in over 60 countries across the world throughout his three decades in the Royal Navy.

His achievements at the port operator include introducing a group wide port control centre, monitoring marine processes across all its harbour authorities, which is now used by ports across the globe, and preparing the group’s £400m Liverpool2 deep-water container terminal to receive larger vessels. During his time in charge, Peel Ports Group has also been a sector leader in PPE development for its marine pilots, and the port group also received a prestigious honour from the MOD for its support of the armed forces under the Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme.

Gary said: “I’m hugely proud of what we’ve achieved in my time here – from improving safety and efficiency across our ports to helping grow Peel Ports Group’s reputation as a trusted partner in global shipping. I’ve had a great time working here and it’s been a privilege to have worked with so many skilled and passionate colleagues over the last eight years. Susan is an outstanding choice to take the reins, and I wish her every success in the role.”

David Huck, Chief Operating Officer at Peel Ports Group, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Susan, whose experience and vision make her ideally placed to lead us into the next chapter. Her appointment marks an exciting milestone for Peel Ports Group and the industry more widely.

“Gary has played a central role in shaping the success of our marine operations, and his work at a national and international level within the sector is a testament to his field of expertise.

“Gary will be hugely missed by so many across our business, and we thank him for his exceptional service and leadership.”

Capt Cloggie Holden officially took up her new role earlier this month.