Navigation Risk Assessment
Navigational Risk Assessment for Chichester Harbour Pontoon Development
Chichester Harbour Conservancy
Navigation Risk Assessment
Chichester Harbour is one of the UK’s most popular leisure harbours, with an estimated 25,000 people enjoying its waters for racing, cruising and fishing each year. The harbour is home to over 12,000 residential vessels, representing about 25% of all the recreational craft in the Solent.
Chichester Harbour Conservancy (CHC) is the Statutory Harbour Authority responsible for the safe and efficient use of the waterway, alongside its stewardship of the harbour as a Natural Landscape.
CHC planned to develop Itchenor pontoon, extending the previous pontoon by 7 metres further out from shore, and to add 100 metres to improve vessel walk-ashore berthing and improve access to the harbour ferry.
ABPmer supported the Conservancy with a Navigational Risk Assessment (NRA) for the project, conducted jointly with the Chichester Harbour team. This included identifying hazards during the construction and operational phases, speaking with stakeholders and developing a set of risk assessments identifying risk controls (mitigation).
We also conducted a survey to understand the difference in tidal flow between the original and extended pontoon. The survey identified a maximum increase of 0.2 knots between the two locations, deemed to not constitute a safety risk to non-powered craft.
The pontoon development has since been completed.
Our risk assessments help port authorities minimise the risk of incidents as low as reasonably possible. Learn more about our Navigation Risk Assessment services.
Header image courtesy Chichester Harbour Conservancy / Compass Photography Services
