Cattewater Harbour Commissioners will celebrate its 150th anniversary next year. Throughout its time it has served the Port of Plymouth, the city and wider community in accordance with its ‘trust port’ status. This means that all the monies made from services provided are reinvested back into facilities and resources to help maintain and improve the port for the benefit of its users.
The team has supported and promoted cruise ships visits, in particular those that want to bring passengers ashore straight into the heart of the historic Barbican. We work with local businesses and organisations across the city to support many other projects like the swim buoys, seagrass, swim pontoons, visitor’s berth pontoons, SAILGP, annual fireworks championship, community engagement and charity projects, as well as the statutory duties that keeps the Cattewater Harbour open for business, facilitating over 2 million tonnes of cargo, with a value of over £1.4 billion being imported and exported safely in and out of our city. We offer support and assistance here in Plymouth and across the SW to everyday and major products too, we operate 365 days a year, 24/7.
We are excited to have agreed a hand-back of the Barbican Landing Stage to the CHC from Plymouth City Council and already have developed plans that would see investment to offer more opportunities for water-based business to operate out of the site. From angling trips to sea safaris, snorkeling trips to dive boats, an improved facility will provide the space and management to allow new businesses to start up, and existing businesses to offer new pick-up locations to add the area and city’s tourist draw. In addition, this will also provide more space for visiting and local pleasure vessels with a ‘walk ashore berthing option’ similar to neighbouring South West ports as we look to build on recent investments opening up the city to water based visitors, and in turn improve the access to the water from shore.
The Port Authority are well placed to operate and maintain the facility and its important role in supporting the local economy, investing in much needed maintenance to ensure the longevity of the facility, for the benefits of all.
Captain Richard Allan, Harbour Master and CEO of the Cattewater Harbour Commissioners said:
“We are really pleased that after so long the decision on the Barbican Landing Stage has now been ratified. We have plans for significant investment in the facility, and this decision by Plymouth City Council allows us to unlock that funding. We have worked up, fully costed designs in place which we can now progress that will look to extend the pontoons and open it up to a wider range of users.
“In addition, a schedule of upgrades and maintenance will now be finalised and implemented by my team, which will benefit all users of the facility, make it more accessible and increase the longevity of the Barbican Landing Stage.
“We already offer the Barbican Landing Stage as a cruise tender berth through the Temporary Restricted Area, which is overseen by the Port Facility Security Officer (PFSO), and trained deputies, ensuring this Department of Transport approved facility will continue to promote and enhance the city’s offer whilst we continue work with partners such as port user groups, the Barbican Business Association and Visit Plymouth to grow this benefit to our historic waterfront. “We are experts in maritime and are passionate about our city and its surrounding waters. We are trusted custodians of the Cattewater, Port of Plymouth and commit to the city that we will operate this facility with the same level of dedication and professionalism that we do all our other operations.”
