Seminar and site visit: working in the Bristol Channel and River Severn

Kath Wellard

Kath has over 25 years' experience in marine, fisheries and coastal environmental management and assessment, working on planning, policy and development projects from marinas and coastal defences to renewables and marine planning.

Between 2014 – 2025 she was a Director and Board member of Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) and is currently a shadow Board member of Saundersfoot Harbour Commissioners.

Jack Fryatt

Jack has worked for the Bristol Port Company since 2017, having previously been employed by Boskalis Westminster.

Gareth Robins

Richard Clarke

Richard is a RICS chartered hydrographic surveyor. Before moving into dredging management in March 2025, he spent 10 years surveying the Canal & River Trust’s 3,000 km network.

Benoit Delval

Graduated as a Civil Engineer from ISA BTP, followed by an Advanced Master's in Strategy and Management of International Business from ESSEC Business School, I have 15+ years’ experience in tender & acquisition management and project engineering & management on the Contractor’s side for the offshore renewables, Oil & Gas and nuclear construction industries.

My career has taken me mainly over all the North Sea (NL, UK, BE, DK), where I have been involved in all aspects of the project lifecycle on the Contractor’s side. Upstream in the acquisition & tender management for the T&I of new facilities, the decommissioning of old assets, and the construction of marine infrastructure for LNG terminals and nuclear power plants.

Downstream in the engineering & preparation, follow-up of the execution up to project close-out for the EPCI of windfarms, T&I of new Oil & Gas assets, and the decommissioning of Oil & Gas assets.

In my current role as Business Unit Manager at DEME Offshore I am co-responsible for the day to day operations of the business unit covering both tender & acquisition activities as well as project execution for Oil & Gas Heavy Lift operations, such as jackets & topsides T&I; Decommissioning works of Oil & Gas assets, and Civils, including the jetty and similar structures and the construction of marine infrastructure for the nuclear industry

Anne Hayes

Anne Hayes is the Head of Environment and Sustainability at The Bristol Port Company, with over 30 years' experience in the Port and Environmental sector.

Since joining Bristol Port some 25 years ago, Anne has supported the consenting and EIA processes for numerous major Port developments, including the Bristol Wind Terminal and the Steart Habitat Creation Scheme, as well as the licensing of the Port's maintenance dredging and disposal operations.

By promoting the delivery of the Port's Net Zero Strategy, sustainability initiatives, and biodiversity enhancements, she is helping ensure that both the Port's business and the local environment thrive.