Plymouth and South Devon Freeport recently hosted a webinar bringing together businesses from across the region to hear from Mark Albon, Director of Maritime Defence and Security at the Society of Maritime Industries (SMI). With over 34 years of Royal Navy experience and a front row seat to how defence procurement actually works, Mark offered a frank and compelling picture of where the market is heading and what it means for businesses right here in the South West.

The next few years will see marine autonomy and the technologies associated with it move fully from emerging to being squarely in the mainstream. Defence is currently leading the way and civil applications will inevitably follow. Just recently the First Sea Lord marked his first year in office by setting out again how the Royal Navy is transforming its operations to embrace the concept of a fleet of crewed, uncrewed and autonomous platforms. The Navy’s approach also demonstrates how such technology has wide ranging impact on broader issues such as styles of leadership, skillsets, tactical and strategic approaches.

Senior leadership from Teledyne Marine joined Plymouth's civic and business leaders to tour the company's new Oceansgate facility and explore the...

As part of our spotlight on partners within the Plymouth & South Devon Freeport, we spoke to Robert McGuffie, Development Manager at Plymouth City Council, about his role in delivering Beaumont Way, the first workspace within the Langage tax site and what it means for the region’s future.

Sherford Consortium has completed the final drawdown of seed capital funding for the Freeport’s Sherford tax site, marking another significant step forward in the Freeport’s programme of investment and infrastructure delivery across the region.

The final drawdown of £233,000, the last instalment of the £1.2m allocated to Sherford under the Freeport’s seed capital programme, is contributing towards enabling works at Sherford Business Park.

Plymouth will host the South West’s largest marine and maritime event this summer, as Ocean Tech Expo 2026 returns to the University of Plymouth on Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 June. 

Now in its fifth edition, Ocean Tech Expo is organised by Maritime UK South West and brings together hundreds of industry leaders, innovators and investors from across the region and beyond. The event has become a key fixture in the maritime calendar, and this year’s instalment arrives at a particularly significant moment for Plymouth and the wider South West.

We spoke with Jan Ward the Chair of Plymouth and South Devon Freeport, which plays a central role in shaping the region’s economic future. We spoke with Jan about inward investment, collaboration, and what the Freeport is really here to do.

Plymouth and South Devon Freeport partners with the Freeports Hub to map hydrogen potential across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset 

Plymouth and South Devon (PASD) Freeport has commissioned a major hydrogen demand assessment covering a 100km radius of its Langage site, revealing a significant and growing appetite for green hydrogen across the region. Demand could potentially reach 65 tonnes per day by 2030 and more than 250 tonnes per day by 2050.

As part of the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport ecosystem, Oshen is carving out a distinctive role in marine data and autonomy. We spoke with Jasmine Eggleton, Commercial Lead, about growth, collaboration, and what the future holds for the region.

Plymouth’s place as the UK’s National Centre for Marine Autonomy (NCMA) has been
showcased to a global audience at Oceanology International 2026.

The NCMA was designated by the Ministry of Defence in June last year, one of a series of
announcements that placed Plymouth and the wider South West at the heart of the UK’s
capability and resilience in defence and dual-use technologies.

We sent Issy, an electrical apprentice with IntoHeat, a few questions about her journey, from college to her first job, and why she’s proud to be part of Plymouth’s future. Here’s what she had to say.

From tracking marine mammals with thermal cameras to coordinating fleets of autonomous vessels, researchers at the University of Plymouth are tackling some of the most complex challenges facing the maritime sector. In a recent Plymouth and South Devon Freeport Lunch & Learn webinar, Dr Dena Bazazian and Dr Pablo Borja Rosales shared the cutting-edge work happening on our doorstep, and what it could mean for the future of the blue economy.

As part of our spotlight on partners within the Plymouth & South Devon Freeport, we spoke to Michael Hayes, Transformation and Programmes Director (Defence, UK & Europe), about Serco Defence’s role in the region, collaboration in practice, and what success looks like for the South West.

Marking an exciting start to 2026, the Freeport development at Beaumont Way on the Langage tax site is now complete, delivered in just 12 months and already making its mark on the city’s business and skills landscape. Four high-quality employment units are ready to fuel the next wave of growth, opening doors for businesses and local talent alike.

Final preparations are being made at Beaumont Way, Langage South, where four new high-quality employment units have just completed build within only 12 months. 

Inside Devon Chamber of Commerce’s regional Strategy for 2026 and Beyond  At the final Lunch & Learn...

Andre Burgess, from NPL spoke with us about how assurance, collaboration and Plymouth’s ecosystem will shape the next era of autonomous maritime...

The Team Plymouth partnership is rightly ambitious about harnessing the city and region’s capabilities. As a partner, PASD Freeport is focused on...

The UK’s offshore wind sector is entering a defining decade one where innovation, collaboration, and resilience will determine how successfully we...

When Carla Grigoroiu left her hometown of Vulcan in the Romanian mountains to move to the UK, she could never have imagined that one day she would...

There’s a growing momentum in Plymouth and Friday’s launch of Team Plymouth at Market Hall made one thing clear: this city is ready to lead. Backed...