7. Background

7.1 The developer, Hamble Yacht Services Limited, has applied to Fareham Borough Council, the Marine Consents and Environment Unit, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport for planning permission for the development and extension of the pontooning and piling at Hamble Yacht Services Limited at Hamble, Port Hamble Marina.

7.2 The River Hamble Harbour Authority has been consulted and asked to comment on matters of navigational safety by the agencies referred to above. As part of the Harbour Authority's statutory duties it has to grant consent permitting harbour works in the navigation of the River Hamble, including works to modernise, extend and relocate pontoons. This consent is in addition to the planning permission required.

7.3 Consent may be granted by the Harbour Authority permitting harbour works in the navigation of the River Hamble to accord with the Southampton Harbour Act 1924 and 1949, as amended by the River Hamble Harbour Revision Orders 1969 to 1989. Within the Harbour Authority's statutory duties lie the responsibilities to ensure that all matters concerning navigational safety are addressed. This area of responsibility includes the area known as the Main Navigation Channel and other secondary and mooring channels in that location.

7.4 The Harbour Authority held a consultation process with all stakeholders before writing the risk assessment which is attached to this report.

8. Effects of the Development Effecting Navigational Safety

8.1 The following points have been noted by the Harbour Master regarding navigational safety and are highlighted from the risk assessment attached to this report. These points were brought to the attention of the River Hamble Executive Member's Group on 26 July 2004, along with the engineering drawings of the proposed development numbered 2328-P-100.

8.2 The extension of the working berths removes the direct approach to the pontoon mooring area on the F piles used by the XOD boats. The loss of this area has been the main point of note from stakeholders who would be forced out into the path of oncoming vessels in the main channel. The area taken up by the pontoon extension is also used by boats and small tenders to gain access to the moorings area further upstream. It allows direct access to the channel running between the F and G piles. It is therefore necessary for the safety of small vessels and sailing vessels without engines to only allow the working berths to extend out to 23 metres, not 35 metres. The pile guide and pontoon will also be rounded off and fendering will be fixed to reduce damage should vessels find themselves in difficulties. The developer has investigated this modification and may make it standard throughout the modifications. The gap will give good sailing access to the F pontoon and also to the mooring channel upstream from the proposed development (marked as 1 on the chart).

8.3 The installation of the Boatscrubber pontoon on pile HP15 to HP16 on the eastern side of the river will introduce a small amount of traffic to that area. This is not thought to be significant (marked as 2 on the chart). This traffic will not alter significantly from the present visiting vessels that use the moorings. It will also reduce the amount of space taken as normally four to eight boats raft out at this location.

8.4 The main fairway will 70 metres, which is 10 metres wider than when the G piles were in place (marked as 3 on the chart).

8.5 The XODs departing and arriving back at their pontoon between F1 and F4 may have difficulties as they are not fitted with engines and rely purely on the wind for propulsion. This can be a difficult departure and approach in low winds and strong tides. An XOD may have difficulty in entering the main channel when the volume of traffic is high.

8.6 The gap between pile G27 and the proposed new pontoon should be increased to 22 metres to allow sailing vessels, XODs, to round the upstream end of the F pontoon. This can be achieved by reducing the 22 metre gap upstream of this pontoon to 15 metres (marked as 6 and 9 on the chart).

8.7 The proposed new pontoon will replace the current fore and aft moorings and will run for 24 metres. This pontoon will accommodate the displaced vessels from G20 to G24 public moorings. The replacing of the fore and aft moorings, which are double berths for vessels up to 35 feet, will halt the problems experienced during strong tides and winds. These moorings are forced out into the main channel or westwards therefore reducing the channel by F5 to F7. The replacement of these moorings will be a benefit to navigational safety and halt the reduction of the channel width of up to 10 to 12 metres during strong westerly winds (marked as 7 on the chart).

8.8 The gap between the new pontoon and the pontoon at F5 to F7, which forms the access channel, will be fixed at 17.33 metres and will no longer be affected by the movement of the fore and aft moorings (marked as 8 on the chart).

8.9 The gap between the upstream end of the proposed pontoon and the remaining G piles will be 17 metres (marked as 9 on the chart).

9. Conclusion

9.1 The proposed development places another obstacle for tenders and dinghies attempting to move into the access channel and to the moorings area upstream of Hamble Yacht Services Limited. This obstacle is no different from that of other obstacles found on the river that are negotiated safely by tenders and dinghies.

9.2 The 30 metre gap will allow the XOD fleet direct access to the F pontoon. This gap will also be sufficient for vessels to enter and depart the main channel safely.

Note: It is worth noting that the Harbour Master classes the westerly route along the outside of Port Hamble as dangerous for small tenders. Vessels departing from Port Hamble suddenly appear and proceed into the main channel at speed. Even harbour patrol launches have difficulties with inexperienced skippers suddenly appearing and charging into the main channel.

8869/TC



RIVER HAMBLE HARBOUR AUTHORITY

PORT MARINE SAFETY CODE

RISK ASSESSMENT REPORT

NAVIGATION CHANNEL

ADJACENT

HAMBLE YACHT SERVICES

AND

ALTERATIONS TO G PILES

26 July 2004

1. INTRODUCTION

The Government looks to all Harbour Authorities to implement the requirements of the Port Marine Safety Code (The Code). The Code is intended to apply to all Harbour Authorities to the extent that they have duties and powers relating to marine safety.

It is particularly directed at Harbour Authorities and to Directors, Commissioners or Trustees who are members of the boards of such Harbour Authorities. The Code is not optional it applies to ports of all sizes, irrespective of resources or levels of traffic.

The Code represents the national standard against which policies, procedures and performance of Harbour Authorities may be measured. It is obligatory for the purpose of meeting the standard in the Code that measures are taken to reduce all risks associated with port marine operations to As Low As Reasonably Practical (ALARP).

1. SCOPE

The Code does not apply to duties and powers other than those related to marine operations. Marine operations are those that facilitate the safe use of a harbours by vessels. They include the direction of shipping and the regulation of safety of navigation in a harbour and the maintenance of aids to navigation within the jurisdiction of a harbour.

2. RISK ASSESSMENT

The Code requires that each Harbour Authority assess risks associated with marine operations and manages those risks to reduce them to As Low As Reasonably Possible (ALARP). Risk assessment is an ongoing process to this end the risk assessment has been carried out by the Harbour Master to consider the risks associated with the proposed development at stone Pier Yard.

3. DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this report the following definitions will apply:

A hazard is anything that can cause harm to a person, property or the environment;

A risk is the chance, high or low, that a person, property or the environment will be harmed by the hazard.

4. METHODOLOGY

To assess risks in The River Hamble 4 steps are followed:

1. Hazards are identified;

2. The consequence of the hazard materialised are assessed;

3. The risk and existing precautions are evaluated;

4. The findings are recorded.

It is also recognised that provision must be made to review and revise this assessment as necessary.

The aim of the risk assessment is to ensure that all of the significant hazards (potential accidents) associated with marine operations are identified and quantified in terms of risk to people, property and/or the environment.

This information provides an essential input to the continual development of The River Hamble Harbour Authority Safety Management System and will be used by the Harbour Authority as a rational basis on which to decide priorities and to set objectives for eliminating hazards and or reducing risks to As Low As Reasonably Practical.

The risk assessment identifies each hazard and then categorises them as either a collision, contact, grounding or a swamping hazard:

Collision:

Collision between two or more vessels which are underway, regardless of whether the vessel(s) are not under command or disabled in any way but excluding wrecks.

Contact:

A vessel striking, or being struck by, an external object or a vessel that is not underway (e.g. anchored or moored), excluding the sea bed.

Grounding:

A vessel coming to rest on, or riding across, underwater features or objects.

Swamping:

The excessive ingress of water over the gunwale of a vessel such that it becomes waterlogged and may sink.

An estimated degree of risk is assigned to each identified hazard to provide a relative rating between risks. The following scoring system has been applied:

LIKELIHOOD OF OCCURRENCE

CONSEQUENCE

Each hazard has been assigned a score of 1 to 5 for the "likelihood of occurrence" and a score of 1 to 5 for "consequence". The "risk rating" has then been obtained by multiplying the two scores together giving a maximum rating of 25. The higher the rating the more serious the potential consequences. Rating risks help to give an indication of their significance.

As a guide it is considered that any "risk rating" of 12 and above, is not ALARP and therefore additional precautions should be implemented to ensure compliance with the Code.

Note:

The risk assessment was written with the understanding that the development will only extend out to 23 metres. This removes the dangers of vessels being forced out into the main channel and allows the XOD's full access to the F pontoon. This affects serials 5, 6, 7 and 8 below.

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF HAMBLE YACHT SERVICES

5. RESULT OF RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT

Of the 14 identified hazards none obtained risk ratings that would indicate that it would not at present be ALARP.

As none of the highest risk rating was above 12 no special recommendations are recommended for introduction to the Safety Management System.

Even so the following has been noted and will become part of the ongoing Safety Management procedures:

Precautions to be introduced:

(i) Harbour Authority to control the entrance or departure to the River of all commercial or large craft. Commercial and large vessel deemed a danger will not be allowed entrance during periods of heavy volumes of traffic. If necessary an escort will be given by the harbour patrol vessel.

(ii) Continue to educate those that use tenders and small dinghies to wear buoyancy aids or life jackets. To also carry torch and bailers etc.

(iii) To continue to make masters of larger vessels aware of the safety implications of travelling to fast and to ensure a good lookout is kept at all times by all masters and crews.

(iv) By using signage and other methods, attempt to make masters of vessels departing marinas reduce speed and to keep a good lookout for dinghies and small tenders.

6. CONCLUSION AND HARBOUR MASTER'S RECOMMENDATIONS

The risk assessment indicates that the proposed development will not result in the creation of any risks that are not considered to be As Low As Reasonably Practical and therefore all risks can be managed and reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practical, this accords with the Port Marine Safety Code.

Having carefully considered this risk assessment the Harbour Master recommends that the proposed development at Hamble Yacht Services will not adversely effect navigational safety.

6.1 The Harbour Masters also makes the following recommendations and comments;

(i) Hamble Yacht Services to establish a solar powered navigation light on the down stream outer pile and also paint the pile with high visibility red paint.

(ii) The outer pontoon to only extend out 23 metres.

(iii) Hamble Yacht Services to establish two vertical fixed red lights at the upstream outer pontoon and also paint the pile with high visibility red paint.

(iv) Hamble Yacht services to design the ends of the pontoons, and pile guides to be rounded and fixed with fendering.

(v) The XOD fleet, in the main, is sailed by dedicated and experienced sailors who understand the risks and manage those risk successfully every week when sailing in the River. Even so, because the River is changing and the type of vessel and those that operate them are changing, a new mooring location should be investigated. Ideally any new location should afford the same shelter and give easy and direct access to the entrance of the River. Negotiations between the Crown Estates and the XOD fleet should be encouraged by the Harbour Authority.

7. ONGOING RISK ASSESSMENTS

The assessments of risks is an ongoing process. This risk assessment will be regularly reviewed and updated and/or amended as appropriate. New risks that emerge as conditions or the use of the harbour change will be given immediate attention.

Risk assessment and the management of risks is a continual process.

AG Clatworthy

Harbour Master

26 July 2004