Port News 

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners recently welcomed Katie Rich to join the team on a two year Workboat Level 3 Apprenticeship.

The Commissioners are working with local business SeaRegs Training, based at Turnchapel Wharf, an MCA, SQA, RYA and Highfield approved maritime training provider who deliver short courses and apprenticeships for skippers, engineers and crew.

Katie says: “I can proudly say I am a 16 year old female in the maritime industry and am forever grateful for the opportunities I have been given, I look forward to seeing where my journey with Cattewater Harbour Commissioners takes me. Each day is different. I spend time on all of the vessels working in and around the harbour, whether it be on the tug at 3pm bringing in a ship or out replacing mooring buoys at 9am.”

CEO and Harbour Master of Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, Captain Richard Allan says: 

“We are delighted to welcome Katie to the team. We look forward to supporting her for the next couple of years through her apprenticeship to enable her to gain the knowledge and experience needed to progress her maritime career further.”

During her time with the Commissioners Katie has been welcomed aboard the Pacific Constructor which arrived into Millbay in February and departed at the weekend with a new name, Constructor 1, sailing under a new flag, and last week was part of the crew out on Plym Catte laying seagrass as part of Natural England’s ‘Recreation ReMEDIES’ project which launched in January 2020.

Katie adds: “In the future I’d like to be a deck officer (working my way up to Captain) within the Merchant Navy.”  

Katie is documenting her apprenticeship and maritime training via her own blog at www.katienautique.co.uk and on Instagram at @katie_nautique 

** Thank you to all those who attended our recent water safety virtual meet and greet. You can view a recording of the session here. **

As the summer season approaches Plymouth Harbour Authorities invite you to join them on Thursday 18th March at 7pm for a virtual ‘meet and greet’ and Q&A session about water safety within the Cattewater and Plymouth Sound.

Four guest speakers representing diving, OWS, stand-up paddleboarding and PWC will each chat about their individual disciplines and the importance of water safety.

Representatives from the QHM, Plymouth Pilotage Service, RNLI, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre and the Wave After Wave initiative will also be available to answer any questions.

To attend the Zoom meeting next Thursday please email info@plymouthport.org.uk to request the joining instructions.

Cattewater Harbour Commissioners welcome the Chancellor’s announcement from yesterday’s Budget that Plymouth will be recognised as a Freeport, one of eight areas across England and the only one in the South West.

CEO of Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, Captain Richard Allan says:

“Yesterday’s news was a surprise but welcome announcement from The Chancellor. The Commissioners, along with key industry partners from the ports industry here in the city, supported and assisted Plymouth City Council with the bid submission.

We await the exact details of the model but we look forward to working with the City Council to ensure the Cattewater Harbour continues to be of key importance within the Freeport designated area by supporting import and export trade delivered by sea into the region, and expanding on the already well established innovation existing within the Port.”

The Plymouth and South Devon bid was based on three strategic pillars – marine and defence innovation, manufacturing and light processing, warehousing and staged imports. Specific tax and relief benefits and special allowances will be made available to companies based within the Freeport area to encourage investment.

Further details of the Freeport model will be announced over the coming days. It is hoped that the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport will begin operation from early 2022.

Plymouth Pilots had the pleasure of Piloting the Pacific Constructor into Millbay, today, Friday 26^th February. For Captain Oliver Chasteauneuf this will be a career highlight as Plymouth is his adopted hometown.

Captain Chasteauneuf moved to Plymouth in 2004 to start a cadetship at the University of Plymouth, his career at sea started with cruise ships before moving into the offshore industry.

Captain Chasteauneuf stated:

“I have worked all over the world but I never imagined I would have the opportunity to bring a vessel into Plymouth. Being based in Asia and West Africa primarily, the opportunity to visit Plymouth could not be missed. It is a proud day for me, and brilliant that my wife and young family will be watching our arrival on Pacific Constructor.”

Captain Chasteauneuf’s love of the sea started at the age of 10 with an interest in sailing and through his school, college and university years he was able to combine his love of sailing and being on the water with teaching others. His career has seen him gain experience on general cargo ships with Scot Line and cruise ship line Holland America. He has been with Swire Pacific Offshore since 2013.

Pacific Constructor has been involved in many search and survey operations in recent years whilst on charter with Ocean Infinity; from searching for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 to locating the missing Argentinean Submarine San Juan in 2018. She recently located the veteran battleship USS Nevada in the Pacific Ocean using her state-of-the-art Underwater Autonomous Vehicles (UAVs).

Pacific Constructor is a subsea multi-purpose vessel and has a LOA of 115m, a breadth of 22m and a service speed of 12.5 knots. She flies under the Singapore flag.

You can find out more about her at oceaninfinity.com/2020/12/pacific-constructor-highlights/

A vessel from the Mount Batten Ferry service fleet has had her engine replaced with a new electronic drive propulsion system and solar charging capability. This is an excellent environmental addition to the Cattewater, and a further boost to reducing emissions from water transport in the Port.

Copper, the smaller of the Mount Batten Ferry business’ fleet, has undergone her transformation to electric power over the last few months as the service has been closed to passengers due to the ongoing pandemic. The Mount Batten Ferry usually runs daily, all year round between The Barbican and Mount Batten.

The electric drive install was designed and fitted in-house by Universal Marine Services Ltd., which owns and operates the Mount Batten Ferry service, with the help of a local engineering company, Flint Engineering. Universal Marine Services can now carry out a range of electric drive installs.

Copper’s sister ferry, Sulphar, has also had her diesel engines replaced with two fuel efficient smaller Beta engine units.

CEO and Harbour Master for Cattewater Harbour Commissioners, Captain Richard Allan says:

“A year ago we launched the Port of Plymouth Air Quality strategy and invited our stakeholders to input into the strategy and consider and implement any new ideas that they may be able to adopt to improve air quality. 

With the installation of the Plymouth City Council charging points on the Barbican Landing Stage, and Copper’s new electric engine and solar charging capability, this is another hugely positive step forward as part of the Port’s commitment to improving air quality. We congratulate Captain Stevens and his team for making this conversion to electric and look forward to welcoming Copper back into service in the coming months.”

Captain Dan Stevens, owner of Universal Marine Services Ltd.: 

“Copper was chosen for an electric drive retrofit as it is one of Plymouth’s busiest ferries and operates daily between The Barbican and Mount Batten. She made an ideal vessel to trial a new electric drive and will hopefully make a great addition, and leap forward, to Zero Carbon Emission transport for Plymouth’s waters.”

Copper is the second passenger ferry to be converted to electric recently, last year Plymouth Boat Trips launched e-Voyager and after undergoing rigorous sea-trials she will come into service in April.

Captain Allan adds: “It really is excellent to have both ferry operators in the Cattewater investing significantly in electric craft.”

For further information about the Port’s Air Quality Strategy please click here.