Policies and Plans
Harbour master Duties
1. ABP will organise the dredging and surveys;
2. ABP will monitor vessel traffic through Severn VTS/Newport Pierhead;
3. ABP personnel will, in agreement with NHC, set the safety parameters of transit of the dredged channel and the River Usk;
4. ABP personnel will answer maritime related queries from NHC customers;
5. ABP will receive dangerous good declarations;
6. ABP will liaise with MCA, MAIB, etc regarding River Usk safety issues;
7. ABP will monitor and record communications undertaken on the nominated VHF working channels for the Port;
8. Utilising the nominated VHF working channels ABP will proactively, and in response to requests, provide relevant navigational information to commercial vessels en route to/from the Port;
9. ABP will monitor reports of defects to fixed/floating aids to navigation including aids to navigation within the Port for which NHC is responsible and will arrange for their inspection and, if necessary, repair or replacement;
10. In order that the NHC can prepare appropriate invoices ABP will prepare and provide to NHC a “River Sheet” detailing shipping movements on each tide. Where known these sheets will detail:
- Vessel’s name
- Vessel’s gross tonnage
- Vessel’s draught
- Vessel’s cargo
- Vessel’s agent
- Date/time of vessel’s arrival/departure at/from the port facility
11. ABP will liaise with the NHC River Usk terminal/berth operators, pilots/PEC’s Masters and Boatmen to assist with the safety of navigation within the port;
12. ABP will liaise with other river users, such as fishermen, leisure craft owners, yacht clubs, fire brigade, police. River bailiff and local authorities etc to raise awareness of navigational safety issues affecting commercial vessel movements within the Port;
13. ABP will liaise with the operators of the dry dock within Newport Docks prior to their draining the contents of the dock into the River Usk at low water;
14. ABP will monitor and arrange for removal (costs to be met by NHC) of floating debris likely to affect the safety of navigation vessels transiting the waters within the Port;
15. ABP will monitor and report details to NHC of incidents of oil pollution in the Port where required ABP will initiate a response to the pollution and manage that response at an agreed charge;
16. So far as possible ABP will provide, upon request, to commercial vessels details of current predicted tide and weather conditions;
17. In the event of an incident or emergency within the Port ABP will notify the relevant authorities in accordance with the emergency procedure agreed with NHC. Where required ABP will initiate a response to the incident/emergency and manage that response at an agreed charge;
18. In the event of an incident or emergency ABP will maintain a log of events recording relevant actions taken by ABP and, where known, by others;
19. ABP will monitor compliance with the NHC Byelaws and report, so far as possible, any contraventions;
20. ABP will prepare a bi-annual harbour master’s report for submission to the Advisory Body as established under clause 12 of the Newport (South Wales) Harbour Revision (Constitution) Order 2003, and send a representative to such meetings, if requested by NHC;
21. ABP will monitor and up-date the NHC’s Safety Procedures arising from the PMSC and make recommendations, where appropriate, for changes;
22. Such other agreed routine functions as were handled by NHC’s Harbour Masters prior to this agreement.
