Harwich Haven Authority
(HHA) is the Harbour Authority serving the ports of Felixstowe,
Harwich International, Ipswich, Harwich Dock Company and
Mistley, responsible for around 150 square miles of river
and seaward approaches including 42 miles of deep water
channels.
It is an independent public trust financed
by charges on commercial shipping, with an annual turnover
of £17 million. Its responsibilities are the protection,
regulation, maintenance and improvement of the harbour.
Its primary concern is safety for all harbour users, including
leisure interests and also the protection of the environment.
Some 24,000 commercial vessel movements annually,
combined with many thousands of leisure craft movements,
make harbour management and safety of operations the Authority’s
key role. |
Harbour Management involves:
• Operating a continuously manned Vessel
Traffic Management Service equipped with the latest modern
communication and radar technology, to control and advise
shipping.
• Provision and maintenance of deep
water channels to the ports.
• Buoyage related to harbour access
and the River Stour.
• Harbour patrols to ensure safe navigation. |
Conservancy
HHA has a special responsibility to ensure
an effective balance between the needs of the various interests
concerned with the harbour. It provides several forms of
assistance to leisure users, including the production of
an annual “Yachting Guide” which is distributed
internationally to assist local sailors and foreign visitors.
It is also involved in management and conservation agreements
with environmental protection agencies and voluntary organisations
for the development of innovative uses for dredged materials,
including sea defence and coastal protection, and the creation
of new fishing habitats.
HHA licenses all work in the Harbour to ensure
that all relevant interests are protected.
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Harwich Harbour and the environment
The general duties of the Authority as defined
in the Harwich Harbour Act 1974, are “To take such
steps from time to time as they may consider necessary or
expedient for the conservancy, protection, regulation, maintenance
and improvement of the harbour”.
The provisions of that legislation translate
into the purpose of the Authority which is:
“To safeguard the interests
of all sections of the public able to use, enjoy and benefit
from the natural facility of which the Authority is guardian”.
For further information check our website
on http://www.hha.co.uk/
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