A group of colleagues are celebrating an incredible 180 years of service to one of the UK’s busiest and most important ports.

The quintet from Harwich Haven Authority (HHA) have served for between 25 and 45 years each, helping the trust port retain its crown as the premier gateway for Britain’s international trade.

Two of the five, Graham Lee and Jason Davis, work for HHA’s revered pilot launch service, with another, Mark Avenell, having recently moved to a managerial role supporting the authority’s trainees and apprentices.

Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Duty Officer Sarah Chilver is also celebrating 40 years, while Marine Support Manager Adrian Britton has marked his 45th anniversary with the business.

Vanessa Mann, Head of People & Culture at HHA, said:

“We are delighted to celebrate the incredible achievements of Graham, Jason, Mark, Sarah and Adrian.

“We are hugely grateful for the commitment they have shown to us and our stakeholders, providing exceptional service from the very first day they joined us.

“So much will have changed over those years, yet that outstanding level of service has remained a constant throughout their time with us.

“When you consider the average length of time someone works for a UK employer stands between three and five years, making their achievements all the more amazing.”

HHA has won numerous awards for its commitment to its colleagues, including being crowned the Inclusive Workplace of the Year at the 2025 British Ports Association Awards and earning gold accreditation from Essex Working Well in 2024.

The business is also proud members of The 5% Club, a collection of organisations with at least 5% of its workforce in ‘earn and learn’ positions.

Vanessa added:

“We would not be the business we are today without the extraordinary contributions of colleagues like Graham, Jason, Mark, Sarah and Adrian.

“Their experience, knowledge and commitment have played a real part in shaping HHA over the years, and together they are a great example of the calibre of people we are fortunate to have working with us.”

Those looking to follow in the footsteps of the quintet can discover the latest career opportunities at HHA via www.hha.co.uk/about/careers.