Policies and Plans
Management of Navigation
NHC’s statutory powers are subject to the ‘open port duty’. The PMSC states – “Upon payment of the rates payable by local legislation for the port and subject to other provisions thereof, the Harbour shall be open to all persons for the shipping and unshipping of goods and the embarking and landing of passengers”.
With reference to above, the NHC consider that the safe management of navigation is of paramount importance.
NHC, in deciding the level of safety management necessary for the port, have taken into consideration the following:
- Traffic density
- Traffic patterns and intersections
- Port and river regimes, depth of water, sand and mud banks, bars, shoaling patterns, meteorological conditions, tides and currents
- Hazardous and pollutant cargo trades
- Recreational craft.
These points have been addressed in the Formal Risk Assessment for the Port and Harbour of Newport.
The NHC, in agreement with Associated British Ports (Newport), have arranged for traffic management, communication and monitoring of all vessel movements to be under the day-today administration of the Vessel Traffic Information Service (Severn VTS). The Harbour Master has the facility to monitor the system.
Information on all programmed traffic movements within the Harbour and its approaches is available via the Severn VTS on request.
POLICY 1
NHC will continue to use the services of ABP (Newport) for vessel traffic management, communication and monitoring within the Port, reviewable every three years.
